Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–148 of 148 posts

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#141

Post by sarusso »

cinntaile wrote: post #139
sarusso wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure. As I said in the other reply, if you don't finish it, provided that you don't face major practical or financial issues, to me it is a red flag on being able to commit and bring something to conclusion.

As it stands it's a theory of yours. Now you need some actual data to back it up. It's a bit dangerous to reach conclusions based on a hunch, you might be biased after all.

I am definitely biased by my values, and I value finishing something once you started. Always ;)

Then yes, I might be of course proven wrong, I just gave my 2 cents on what not finishing a degree tells me, including my bias.

Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things. However, as we all know, spotting false negatives is very hard and who hires don't like these bets if not in very particular circumstances, as it is going to be their fault if the person is then not a false negative but a true one. With or without backup data.

I think is no coincidence that as far as I can see the OP basically got the "finish your degree" as first and foremost comment.

Don't take me wrong: I have been a false negative and an outlier my entire life, now I love it, but in the early days I really wished someone told me what I am saying now.

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#142

Post by LadyCoconut »

KolenCh wrote: post #128
borroka wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"So if it takes them to have a job experience to know they don't like Data Science, then that's what is needed to happen to them for them to make a different choice." Or maybe, if they had people taking them seriously instead of providing this kind of "everything happens for a reason" paternalistic comments, they would have known it before spending time walking down a path that was not the wrong one.

> It is not about projecting my experience (I was not answering to OP, but to a comment) or "about the meaning of past event". I believe paternalistic attitudes sound good because words are comforting, but they are not helpful, they lead nowhere. And I provided a personal example. My reply is to your comment of '"the work you did was not for nothing" angle of reading is comforting'. So that's why I mention "about the…

A bit late -- terribly sorry -- but yes, KolenCh, you've expressed my intent pretty well, and often far better than I would have. I know I'm shaped by my regrets or failure, and I've grown a lot from them. Does that mean I celebrate them as happy? Of course not. I don't think they happened for a reason, either. But I do think that I've learned and grown from them. They've made me a vastly different person, better and stronger. Hindsight is always 20/20. Either you beat yourself up about not being a clairvoyant, or you trek on just a bit wiser.

Nobody is telling OP to continue on a path they hate. They're young; they have a lot of options. Given their achievement, they seem bright, hard working, and they have gained a lot of experience in many fields. When I was in college, I thought every choice I made back then would have life-lasting consequences in every other field of my life; it was liberating to find out I was very wrong.

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#143

Post by dvtrn »

sarusso wrote: post #134
dvtrn wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Completing a degree means you can commit and deliver, IMO. So does a lot of other valuable and still relevant lived experiences, and they come without the price tag. But we all already know that.

Sure, if you include the price in the equation then this makes things different, you are right. I got biased by the nearly free University we get in Europe. However, if you start something, I think that it is a good attitude to finish it, provided that you don't face major practical/financial issues along the way.

However, if you start something, I think that it is a good attitude to finish it

I 100% agree with this. I've just got a bit (maybe a lot) of chagrin towards the sometimes strident mentality that college is the only meaningful way an individual can prove they possess such a capable characteristic, or that completing college is an indicator that such a person will retain such a characteristic throughout their careers/lives.

It's useful as a snapshot of an individual's educational accomplishments for sure, and more power to them for that accomplishment, but I will always have a bit of reticence about the application of "has degree" past that.

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#144

Post by cinntaile »

sarusso wrote: post #141
cinntaile wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As it stands it's a theory of yours. Now you need some actual data to back it up. It's a bit dangerous to reach conclusions based on a hunch, you might be biased after all.

I am definitely biased by my values, and I value finishing something once you started. Always ;) Then yes, I might be of course proven wrong, I just gave my 2 cents on what not finishing a degree tells me, including my bias. Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things. However, as we all know, spotting false negatives is very…

> Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things.

I'm not projecting my own experiences on others, I just take issue with your claim. Studying and working are very different beasts, I think it's very much possible for people to not finish degrees yet be really good employees that finish their tasks as agreed upon. The incentive structure is so different that the two can hardly be compared. Not finishing your degree, ignoring personal/financial issues, tells us nothing about their work performance.

> However, as we all know, spotting false negatives is very hard and who hires don't like these bets if not in very particular circumstances, as it is going to be their fault if the person is then not a false negative but a true one.

Yes that's hard but that's a very different issue from your original claim. It's a good reason for a recruiter to go for the person with the degree instead of the person without the degree, but that still doesn't mean that the person without the degree can't commit and finish their work.

> I think is no coincidence that as far as I can see the OP basically got the "finish your degree" as first and foremost comment.

He has 3-4 months left of a 5 year education, of course people will recommend him to finish his degree. There is very little opportunity cost downside.

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#145

Post by debi3523 »

Hello,Dr. Odin Jadu, I want to thank you for the love spell you did for me. My boyfriend 's friend is back to me after using you. Returning love spells thank you so much,I will never forget this great happiness you brought to my life. if you are in need of this powerful spell caster you can reach him through this his whatsap +393511788587 or drodintemple3523@gmail.com Dr Odin also do all kinds of spell Website: http://reunitingexspelltemple.i.ng/

(1). Spell to change your University/school grades (2). Lotto Spell (3).Money spell (4).Ex husband spell/wife (5). Court Case spell Contact him on his email: drodintemple3523@gmail.com OR reunitingexspell@gmail.com

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#146

Post by 2143 »

Ajef wrote: post #101
2143 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I understand: There are countries in Europe that are not a member of the European Union. Eg: UK, Switzerland, Norway. From what the OP said, they are from Russia, and studying in another eastern European country. (Russians (as well as plenty of non-Russians) have a tendency to go to Europe/UK/USA/Canada etc for higher studies I think.) Russia is not a member of EU. The eastern-European country the OP is stu…

> By the way, I see unconfirmed reports that Ukraine has just been made a EU member. Like, today This does not happen overnight. Also it would be all over official news outlets and the website of the european union. [Edit] The absurdity of that statement has triggered me a bit to be honest. It seems so unrealistic for me as a German that the EU as an organization is capable of such a reaction due to to it's structuri…

> The absurdity of that statement has triggered me a bit to be honest.

Oops I'm so sorry I never meant any offence.

I did mention it was unconfirmed.

Anyway, for everybody who's reading: I was wrong. It looks like Ukraine's not a member of EU at the moment.

You're right I don't have a deep knowledge of EU or Europe; I shouldn't have said anything.

> either trolling or an attempt at propaganda Oh please no. I have nothing to do with propaganda. Nor was I trolling. (Which makes your statement a "false dichotomy fallacy").

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#147

Post by sarusso »

cinntaile wrote: post #144
sarusso wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am definitely biased by my values, and I value finishing something once you started. Always ;) Then yes, I might be of course proven wrong, I just gave my 2 cents on what not finishing a degree tells me, including my bias. Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things. However, as we all know, spotting false negatives is very…

> Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things. I'm not projecting my own experiences on others, I just take issue with your claim. Studying and working are very different beasts, I think it's very much possible for people to not finish degrees yet be really good employees that finish their tasks as agreed upon. The incentive…

Sorry, the "you" was not referred to yourself by any means, it was a generic "you".

My original claim was not an actual claim, it was just what not finishing something one starts tells me. A sensation. And by "not finishing" I do not mean trying for a bit and then quitting, that's of course OK.

What I meant is not finishing, after investing vigorous effort, because one gets "enchanted" with something else (e.g. "oh look I can code in javascript and build a website, who cares about finishing studying the basics, I don't need them anymore!").

By the term "finishing" I implicitly assumed to be near the finish line. If then this is not a symptom of poor commitment capability, I don't know what else it could be.

On another angle, the comment to which I responded originally basically said "University does not teach you anything valuable at all, just quit and go writing code" and here I strongly disagree and will always do.

Re: Ask HN: I realise data science is not for me and feel depressed

#148

Post by marcus_holmes »

sarusso wrote: post #141
cinntaile wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As it stands it's a theory of yours. Now you need some actual data to back it up. It's a bit dangerous to reach conclusions based on a hunch, you might be biased after all.

I am definitely biased by my values, and I value finishing something once you started. Always ;) Then yes, I might be of course proven wrong, I just gave my 2 cents on what not finishing a degree tells me, including my bias. Then you could be a false negative, in the sense that you might have not finished your degree but be able to commit 100% on other things. However, as we all know, spotting false negatives is very…

>> I am definitely biased by my values, and I value finishing something once you started. Always ;)

What do you do when it becomes obvious that the thing you started is now irrelevant, or was poorly-conceived, even mistaken, when you started?

Genuinely curious. I've walked away from a lot of projects because I learned while doing them.

Post reply on HN