Statistics can be very interesting, but you know? It has its advantages and disadvantages. Some parts of the field are very interesting, while others are much more frustrating! 😭 Sometimes, you feel like just dropping out of school. I told my mom many times, and I can still remember those words: “Mummy, I hate this course! I don’t want to do it anymore.” But she said, “Mike, just do it. Do it because of my money.” And yes, I took her advice, but you know what? At some point, I accepted it. I came to realize that there is no perfect course. There is no 100% good course. Statistics has taught me a lot and changed me as a person. It has made me see things differently; it has made me view the world differently. Engineers see statistics differently, and so do agriculturists, but you see, we statisticians see it as more than a tool. We have departments in our school where it’s part of the coursework, and it’s more of a tool to them. But to me, it’s a lifestyle! We do this all day. I’m reading one now on regression analysis 😂… sorry, I’m lying on my mattress. Can’t kill myself.
What I Like About Studying Statistics🫡
It’s Useful in Many Fields
One of the best things about statistics is its versatility. Whether in business, healthcare, sports, or engineering, statistical knowledge plays a crucial role. It helps in decision-making, predictions, and problem-solving, making it a valuable skill in many careers.
Yes, versatility. That’s the word I love. Versatility means that statistics can be used in any field or niche, and in our everyday life, we need it in banks, hospitals, engineering workshops, markets, and even elections. You can’t do without numbers. Everything about life is numbers. Humans are curious about the number of things that are there. For example, everyone is curious about the amount they have left in their bank accounts, in their pockets… and where again? Don’t know 🤗. But you see, there is no discipline that doesn’t need statistics.
It Improves Critical Thinking
Statistics isn’t just about numbers; it’s about interpreting data and making logical conclusions. It trains the mind to question assumptions, analyze evidence, and understand uncertainty. This skill is useful not just in academics but also in daily life.
when you talk about statistics to your friends or to anyone they tell you is it not just numbers. Just to count this and that but statistics is more than just this. Have heard about this words logical thinking, “reasoning,” “logical thinking,” “data-driven insights,” “quantitative analysis,” “pattern recognition,” this are words that best describe statistics. It can be used to predict uncertainty, conduct research, run and analysis make conclusions and so on. There is a lot you can do with statistics. Others won’t understand but am very sure you would after reading this.
It Has Real-World Applications
Unlike some subjects that may feel abstract, statistics has direct real-life applications. From tracking election results to understanding weather patterns or even analyzing social media trends, statistics helps explain how the world works.
Do you remember this from our previous discussion? Versatility means that statistics can be used in any field or niche, and in our everyday life, we need it in banks, hospitals, engineering workshops, markets, and even elections. That’s what this point is all about. They aren’t just abstract—they’re practical, vivid, and can be observed. And they can be used to observe trends, and so on.
It Teaches Data Analysis
In today’s world, data is everywhere, and statistics gives you the tools to interpret it. Learning how to collect, organize, and analyze data is a powerful skill, especially with the rise of data science and artificial intelligence.
The world can’t do without data. But what exactly is data? 🤔. Read this 👉: Data is information collected in various forms, such as numbers, text, images, or measurements. It helps in making decisions, analyzing trends, and solving problems. Yes, that’s the explanation for data. You want to know the characteristics and features of the population. A census could be a very good example—the information on the number of people living in a geographical area. What about when cooking 🍳? Why do you think we taste food? We want to get data from the food and make conclusions (to know if it’s salty). As for the analysis of data, this involves using tools like Python, Stata, R, and Power BI to analyze data, which makes it even simpler 🤗.
It Can Be Rewarding
There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from solving complex statistical problems. Whether it’s conducting a survey, running a regression analysis, or interpreting probability distributions, seeing the results come together can be fulfilling.
How happy would you feel when you eat your cooked rice and stew with chicken and soft drinks after all the analysis you’ve made prior to this? This is the same feeling with statistics—seeing your analyzed results on the screen of the computer. Your surveys, your graphs, and your distributions right in front of you. So, statistics brings satisfaction. What about jobs? There are rewarding jobs for statistics. Some of the jobs include data analyst, statistician, data scientist, actuary, business analyst, market research analyst, biostatistician, etc. There’s a lot more!
What I Don’t Like About Studying Statistics
Have you ever come across advanced statistics? Have you seen the equations, distributions, and weird symbols that don’t seem to make sense? We have some in regression analysis. See them below.
or this
For a layman or someone who is not familiar with statistics, this would look strange. The first is a regression model (used in regression analysis), and the second is Bayes’ theorem. We aren’t going into that, but this is just to show you why I dislike statistics at times. Statistics can be very abstract, and it requires hours of deep study to understand it. Even then, there’s no guarantee that you can know everything, as statistics is just too broad and wide. I’m not going to mention those fields in statistics because that’s not the purpose of this blog post. Below are the reasons why I don’t like statistics.
It Can Be Very Theoretical
While statistics has practical applications, a lot of the coursework can be highly theoretical. Concepts like probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and statistical theorems can sometimes feel abstract and difficult to relate to real-world situations.
One of the reasons I dislike it is that the coursework is too theoretical and complex. I remember when I first got to the university in 200 level. I just didn’t know where and how to read the course, and I was thinking of changing departments before gaining admission. There were students who were saying stuff like, “Mike, statistics is too hard. You better choose something easier. You weren’t even good at math in the first place.” I laughed. I panicked at first, but didn’t take them seriously after spending 1–2 months in the department. I started attending classes, taking YouTube courses, and the rest was history. But I still struggle with some of them even now.
It Involves a Lot of Math
Statistics is closely linked to mathematics, which can be challenging for those who aren’t strong in algebra, calculus, or probability. Some formulas can be complicated, and solving statistical problems often requires a deep understanding of mathematical concepts.
This is one of the challenges of statistics. The calculation part of the course. In exams all you hear is the sound of calculators. The hall is always silent. The panic. To understand statistics you need a good foundation in mathematics, math and statistics are just like a The Chef vs. The Chemist for example “Math is the scientist in the lab, measuring chemicals with precision. Statistics is the grandma in the kitchen, saying, ‘Just add a little bit until it tastes right!’ does that sound nice 🙂 yeah that’s the way they can be compared. They are interwoven like a net or like general relativity (am sure you are aware of this in physics am not smart sorry still learning ).
It Requires Attention to Detail
A small mistake in a calculation, a misplaced decimal, or incorrect data interpretation can completely change the outcome of a statistical analysis. This means you need to be very precise, which can be mentally exhausting.
Just imagine a delicious food (like our previous analogy about the benefits of statistics: the rice and stew), a well-cooked dish that isn’t good for eating anymore due to too much salt in it. It would have a beautiful appearance/aesthetic, but the taste damages the whole thing. Imagine the time you spent putting everything together, and then just a little mistake destroys the menu. This is the same with statistics—a little mistake can ruin your analysis, your hypothesis, and can lead to false conclusions and errors. This is one of the reasons I don’t like statistics.
Some Topics Are Hard to Grasp
Certain topics in statistics, like Bayesian inference, multivariate analysis, or stochastic processes, can be very difficult to understand. They often require a lot of practice, making the learning process slow and sometimes frustrating.
Sometimes you read one topic over and over again without it sticking in your brain. Some courses in statistics are just too hard to understand. But tutorials have made it easier. I took courses online to help before exams.
It Could Be Boring At Times
While some parts of statistics are interesting, others can be repetitive. Memorizing formulas, doing endless calculations, or working through long datasets can sometimes feel monotonous, especially when dealing with complex statistical software.
Sometimes I sleep in class and that’s the truth. Sometimes we do same thing over and over again. It’s like a non ending loop. I hate going to laboratory at times. All the analysis just feels boring. Most times we memorize formulas just to pass no one cares about how good you are all they care is write down what we gave you in the note book.
Final Thoughts
Studying statistics has its ups and downs, but overall, it’s a valuable field with many practical applications. While the math-heavy nature and theoretical aspects can be challenging, the ability to analyze and interpret data is an important skill in today’s world.If you’re considering studying statistics, it’s important to stay patient, practice consistently, and look for real-world applications to make the learning process more engaging.
I am silent parrot by name. Thanks for reading 🙂
