A Letter to my Freshman Self

Victoria Dilday

Soon-to-be alumna in Statistics Victoria Dilday shares a letter to her younger self – a letter we can all learn from, especially those of you embarking on your own collegiate journey in the coming months.

Dear Sweet Little Freshman-Year Victoria, 

Graduation has always been the end goal. It is always the big thing looming in the background of every day spent here on campus, every memory made here. With each passing year, it becomes a larger and larger reality. You realize all of the things that you haven’t done yet, all of the places you haven’t visited yet, all of the people you haven’t met yet. Now that it’s less than a month away, those sudden moments of realization are hitting almost every day. 

But, my dear freshman self, don’t worry about what you may be thinking at my current stage of life. Only worry about yourself, right now. Your present-day self. 

Freshman year is such a specific time in every college student’s life. Sophomore, junior, senior year, they all blend together. I have trouble differentiating them.  

But freshman year, freshman year stands alone.  

No matter how hard you try to make it seem normal, it is not normal and it will never be normal. It’s weird. All of a sudden you’re surrounded by a whole bunch of strangers and you’re sharing a bathroom with one of them and there’s just so many people out all the time and you’re taking classes that move so quickly and there’s also just so many classes to choose from. It’s overwhelming. 

But, once you stick it out and it does become your new normal for the time being, it is a wonderful time to be alive.  

The sheer amount of pure opportunity is so hard to grasp, you realize it after it has passed you by. You can learn about anything your heart desires, even if you don’t even know that your heart does desire it. You can join clubs that will offer you even more opportunity. You can change your major three times and still want to learn more (spoiler: this does indeed happen. Statistics is a great one, though).  

And the people are going to be some of the most amazing people you have ever met. They are going to be so interesting and funny and smart that it’s intimidating. But they are thinking the same of you, so just talk to them anyway. You never know how this one person can change your life. 

My one piece of advice is to just say yes. Hang out with these strangers you meet, go to events that seem even a little interesting, join those random clubs that entice you, take German 101 for one semester just because you want to learn a new language and now you know how to ask for the bathroom in German, a skill not everyone can say they have.  

The world is truly your oyster, and, statistically speaking, the odds of you having a great time are much greater if you keep your mind open and curious and present. Trust me, I have a degree in statistics (in a month). 

With much love and only some jealousy, 

Senior-Year Victoria 

BABIES
photo credit: Victoria Dilday
Senior Citizens
Photo credit: Victoria Dilday

Go Illini!!

Post-Graduation Plans

Statistics ambassador Leah Decatus-Haddad shares her plans for after graduation, and the opportunities here at Illinois that she’s taken advantage of to help get her closer to those goals.

Hello! My name is Leah, and I am currently a junior majoring in Statistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Honestly, even just a year ago, post graduation plans seemed so far out of reach. As someone who didn’t even know what major to choose until my sophomore year (hence putting me a bit behind in stats course work lol),  having concrete goals or plans seemed entirely unfathomable to me. I had no motivations or passions, so instead of thinking too hard about the future, I didn’t think about it at all. I constantly compared myself to other students, which only made my mental health worse and made me more aimless than I already was.

However, once I decided on my major (yay Statistics!!!), it became a lot easier to put the pieces together for my future. To make a long story short, post-graduation, I intend to attend a graduate program in biostatistics, with a concentration in clinical trial and experiment design. And while that may seem like a very refined goal for someone who said they have none, it took a while for me to decide on this path.

As someone who has always enjoyed reading and learning new things, I was drawn to statistics when I took STAT 100 in my freshman year. I enjoyed researching, analyzing data, and learning about data gaps present in our daily lives. Luckily for me, the Statistics major has an abundance of research opportunities.

One such research opportunity is the Blackwell Scholars Program, which I participated in Summer 2024. The program exposed me to how experiments are designed and conducted, which peaked my interest in experiment design. Through the program, I got to network with other students, faculty, and staff in the department. Faculty within the Statistics department are always willing to talk to students and answer questions about their careers and the work they do. By talking with Statistics faculty members about the different work you can do with Statistics, my goals started to form. They also helped me decide what kind of post graduate degree (PhD or Masters) works best for the kind of work I intend to pursue, and their guidance was very helpful in me deciding to attend graduate school. The research experience and networking opportunities the program offered me put me on a path to deciding what to do after I graduate.

Through my connections from the Blackwell scholars program, I was introduced to the Undergraduate Research Experience in Statistics (URES) program, a program offered by the Statistics department that aims to involve undergraduate students in statistics research. One of the professors I met through the program offered me the opportunity to be involved in URES, and I have been a URES scholar ever since. Through URES, I am able to research a variety of questions that I am interested in, with the guidance of experienced faculty members. By participating in URES, my passion for research and experiments has only grown, and so has my coding and computational skills.

Another thing I am passionate about is women’s advocacy. It is no secret that despite how far our society has come in terms of gender equality, there are still many barriers that women face in our daily lives. Learning more about gender data gaps revealed how inequitable our society is, especially concerning health. Clinical trials for pharmaceutical and medical treatments do not disaggregate for sex, so oftentimes, researchers do not know how such treatments affect female anatomy. Learning this through my exposure to research prompted me to focus on filling the gender data gap, especially pertaining to health, and is the reason I want to work in experimental design. I want to design experiments that focus on how medical treatments affect female bodies, which will allow treatment developers to create treatments that are better suited for female bodies.

From my passion for women’s advocacy, and the lack of a Statistics RSO on campus, myself and other women majoring in Statistics at Illinois decided to create the first Women in Stats club this semester. The statistics advising staff was there every step of the way, from getting us connected with other women and underrepresented communities in the Stats major, to booking our space for our meetings.

While it may appear that I have everything figured out, I want to emphasize that it took a long time for me to get to this point. Like many other students, I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome, and often feel like I am not doing enough, that I am not smart enough, capable enough, or focused enough. It’s important to keep in mind that everyone moves at their own pace, and everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different experiences that shape who they are, the choices they make, and the goals and plans they have. I always used to dismiss it when people say that no one has it figured out, but honestly that’s true. And the Statistics Department is there for you. Professors are always willing to talk to students about academics and research, and the advising team is always lending a helpful hand. With the help of the Stats department, I was able to refine my plans, and intertwine the Stats curriculum with issues that I am passionate about.

Why and How I Chose Statistics at Illinois

Ashrith Anumala, senior in Statistics & Computer Science, walks us along his path to deciding on Illinois for his undergraduate career.

You may be wondering how I got here. Back in high school I had no real idea of what I planned on doing and was in a general whirlwind of confusion when it came to picking a college and a major. Most people seemed to have figured it out, but I couldn’t say the same.

My last day of freshman year outside my dorm, Hopkins Hall. Photo credit: Ashrith Anumala (left).

I would like to say I ended up studying Stats & CS here because of fate, but the truth is that it was a complete accident. Being out of state, I knew virtually nothing about Illinois except that a friend I knew enjoyed her time there. That seemed good enough for me to apply. I enjoyed my high school computer science class, so naturally I leaned towards that major. I was looking to select it on the application for Illinoi until I was bombarded by what seemed like a million different options. CS + Agriculture, CS & Math, CS + linguistics, and the list just kept going. And then I came across CS & Stats. At the time, I was taking stats in high school and had generally enjoyed it, so half-heartedly clicked it as my intended major and pressed submit.

Months later, after I had even forgotten that I applied as Stats & CS, I received my acceptance. I initially dismissed Illinois and remember laughing with my friends about the miles and miles of cornfields surrounding the school. But, I was close to a few of my teachers in high school and when I told them that I had gotten into the program, they immediately urged me to consider it. I remember reviewing the curriculum with one teacher, who told me it’d be a great opportunity for me and I’d probably really enjoy it. This got my gears turning, “What if I actually went there?”

The more I looked into it, the more I envisioned myself going there. Many of the graduates I saw online went to work in cool fields (sports analytics & financial technology) and lived in cool places (NY!). This continued to fuel my excitement. After talking it over with my parents and reaching out to a couple of students I knew on campus, my concerns about the location and the overall program began fading away. I truly started believing I could enjoy my life in the cornfields. By early April, I made my decision: I was going to Illinois.

Between enrolling and the first day of class, two events really reassured my decision. Firstly, I attended one of the Admitted Students days on campus. My gut reaction was that it shouldn’t be this cold in April. But as I talked to my fellow admitted students, many of them expressed admiration about the program I was going to be a part of and I learned more about the school. I would definitely recommend attending one of these events. The second event was my freshman registration meeting with my advisor, Jen. As I hadn’t really taken a math or a computer science class in the past year, I was a little worried about how I’d be doing. Senioritis was at an all time high and I retained almost no information. She encouraged me to take all the introductory classes and reassured me that I would be in a great learning environment with tons of other freshmen from out of state, further reducing my concerns about attending.

Now that I’m about to graduate, I could not be more grateful for that seemingly random decision to apply to be a part of statistics at Illinois. I’ve not once thought about changing my major. This program has taught me everything I could have asked for and has given me access to opportunities my high school self couldn’t even think of. For prospective students, my advice is to reach out to current students or advisors to help answer any questions or concerns you may have about the school or college in general. People here are extremely friendly and I’m sure they’ll do a great job of helping you figure out what you could potentially get out of being at Illinois.

Mental health, stress management, and self-care

Statistics ambassador Charlotte Sampson writes about taking care of yourself and managing your stress. You are more than your academics, and it’s important to protect your mental and physical well being!

College can be a very stressful time. You have to adjust to a completely new environment and lifestyle while also managing the pressure of keeping up with your coursework and planning for your future.

All of the changes and responsibilities that come with this period of life can feel overwhelming. Learning how to deal with the stress and taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining happiness and success.

Here are some tips and tricks for mental health, managing stress, and self-care!

Photo credit: Charlotte Sampson.


1. LEARN TO BALANCE
When you are learning how to manage your workload, it can be easy to forget that your life is not just school. Make time to nurture all aspects of your life, otherwise you will probably end up feeling overwhelmed and burned out. Push yourself enough so your grades don’t suffer, but not so hard that your relationships and mental wellbeing suffer – it’s not worth it! Learning to find balance can be a long, difficult process, it’s okay if you have to experiment and learn some lessons along the way. However, it is key to feeling and performing your best, so learn what works for you!

Photo credit: Charlotte Sampson
  1. TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT
    One of the most important things I’ve learned is that your mind can’t perform at its best if your body isn’t getting what it needs! Put your health first, school comes second. Be mindful of what you are putting into your body, how much you are exercising, and your sleep.
    My mental health improved significantly when I started paying attention to what I was eating. Fuel your body with plenty of nutritious foods and drink water! Making sure you are getting enough nutrients makes all the difference in your energy levels and focus.
    I take care of my mind and body by trying to have some form of movement daily, even if that is just a short walk outside! Exercise is a great way to clear your head and take your focus off whatever is stressing you out. I often feel like there isn’t enough time to exercise, but I find that even walking to class boosts my mood and energy levels. It doesn’t have to be long – just make some time in your day!
    The best thing that you can do for your mind and body is sleep!!!! You won’t be able to get anything done if you are exhausted, and the lack of productivity will only make you feel more behind. Sleep is essential for your mood, energy, and overall health. Prioritize your sleep, anything you haven’t finished can wait until the morning.
Photo credit: Charlotte Sampson.
  1. NURTURE YOUR MIND
    Make time to do things you enjoy! Come up with something you like to do and try to do it every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Bonus points if there isn’t a screen involved! Whether that be reading a book, drawing, writing, going outside, seeing friends – anything that takes your mind off your responsibilities and helps you relax can have a huge impact on your mood. I try to read every night before bed and recently I have been enjoying coloring. I really enjoy reading because it takes my mind off my own life and gets me involved in a different story. Writing can also be very helpful to work through things that are affecting you, it will leave you with a clearer and calmer mind. My favorite thing to do is to go outside, something about being in nature just makes me feel better!

    Another important part of nurturing your mind is building a support system. Surround yourself with people that make you feel happy, loved, and supported. Don’t be afraid to let go of anyone or anything that weighs you down, prioritize yourself and your well-being!
Photo credit: Charlotte Sampson.
  1. GO EASY ON YOURSELF
    Finally, don’t be so hard on yourself – you’re learning how navigate this new chapter of life! Give yourself permission to relax and listen to your body. Take a break if you need it, your schoolwork will still be there after you rest.

    One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is not to compare yourself to others. You are your own person, and your path is your own. Comparing myself to my peers had me constantly feeling like I was behind. Remember, life is not a race, and there is no rush to figure out who you are or what you want!

Setting Up for Success in the New Semester

Helen Wu, junior in Statistics, shares her advice for starting the new semester off strongly and making the most of your time on campus.

Photo credit: Helen Wu.

Hi, my dear friends! I hope you’ve enjoyed your Christmas and had a great winter holiday! Now it’s time to gear up for a brand-new semester — yayyy, so exciting! Let’s dive into some tips to help you plan and slay this semester! 

1. Plan Your Schedule Wisely 

As a junior looking back, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is balancing ambition with realism. At the start of every semester, it’s tempting to pack your schedule with classes, research, RSOs, and personal projects. But remember: doing too much can lead to burnout, and doing too little might leave you feeling like you’re not making the most of your time. My personal strategy is to write down 10 things you want to achieve and then choose the top three to focus on first — things that align the most with your long-term goals and bring you the most value. Cross out the rest (you can always revisit them later) and realistically list out how much time you’ll devote to each.  

Warren Buffet’s Two Lists Strategy; from goalplus.org

Regarding class schedule, discussing with upperclassmen and advisors to craft a realistic one could save you huge trouble. It’s always wise to have some wiggle room in your schedule than to drop classes halfway due to the overwhelming workload, a lesson I learnt the hard way after taking four major courses and found myself drowning in midterms. Just like Rohan mentioned in his earlier blog post, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Perhaps college is not even a marathon, without a destination or predefined route; it’s more like an adventure where one is free to explore. 

Also, celebrate milestones regularly and reward yourself for the progress you’ve made so far. Planning ahead something exciting for spring break, like a fun trip or a relaxing getaway. Whenever I felt drained or uncertain, the thought of an upcoming adventure always lifted my spirits and kept me going. College is about growth, not perfection—so give yourself room to breathe, explore, and adapt.  

2. Start Early and Apply Bravely

After listing out your top goals, if it involves any application-related activities, like RSO, internship, or academic research, it’s better to apply early, since the position is limited and mostly are evaluated on a rolling basis. Many academic labs and companies are actively recruiting at the start of the semester. Be proactive and don’t shy away from cold-emailing professors or professionals. Remember, rejection is part of the process, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!

Snow blankets the campus during a winter day during the holiday break in January. Everitt Laboratory is visible in the background. Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Also, talk to peers, upperclassmen, and graduates to get insights and advice. Learning from their experiences can point you in the right direction and even uncover hidden opportunities. From my personal datapoint, a great proportion of my friends including myself secured an internship through connections.

Additionally, there’ s lots of campus resources out there! So, subscribe to departmental newsletters or weekly emails — they’re treasure troves of information about internships, research projects, and other opportunities. For example, Statistics majors can explore programs like the Undergraduate Research Experience in Statistics (URES), Illinois Mathematics Lab, or IRisk Lab for research experience. Additionally, LAS offers the ATLAS internship program (Applied Technology for Learning in the Arts and Sciences), where students can gain fantastic industry experience and a chance to work on exciting projects.

3. Relax! Take it easy.

College is all about discovering who you are and what you’re passionate about. Attend events, make new friends, join clubs, and most importantly, enjoy the journey. Don’t stress too much about sticking rigidly to your plan, not sticking to your plan, or having no plans at all. Don’t blame yourself for that! Working out a plan is already a huge progress and a great witness of your aspiring heart, just take a little step closer and see what comes next. Life happens, and sometimes the best opportunities are the unexpected ones. It’s totally okay to adjust your goals as the semester unfolds.

Main Library Reading Room on Reading Day. Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (Photo by Craig Pessman / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

You got this! Let’s make this semester an unregretful one. Good luck and all the best, my friends!

Finding an Internship

An internship can be a great way to gain hands-on industry experience alongside your academic journey. Statistics & Computer Science student Rohan Gavankar talks about how he successfully landed an internship, and what helped him as he searched for and applied to different positions.

Rohan mentions working at County Financial; you can read more about CF at Research Park on campus here!

Photo credit: Rohan Gavankar

The internship search can be a daunting and stressful process, but there are ways to stand out. Remember, it’s never too late to start looking!

Building a Strong Resume

Before you even start applying for internships, make sure your resume is in top shape. Update it with your latest courses, skills, experiences, and projects. If you feel like your resume needs more depth, start building it with simple projects. YouTube is full of tutorials to help you get started, and once you find a project, go deep rather than wide—focus on making one or two projects thorough rather than scattering your efforts across five. Even class projects, like those from STAT 107, can be valuable additions to your resume. I suggest using Jake’s resume template as it is very common in industry.

Finding Ways to Stand Out

With so many applicants for each job posting, standing out is crucial. As a freshman, I learned about Research Park in Champaign, a technology hub with companies offering internships exclusively for UIUC students. For freshmen and sophomores, this type of program is ideal because many places tend to favor juniors and seniors. Rather than wasting time applying to postings with strict requirements, I focused on Research Park, attending open houses, career fairs, and info sessions. This approach landed me multiple interviews and ultimately a data science internship at Country Financial for the summer! Freshman and sophomore years are also perfect times to explore company specific programs, like information sessions or summits. Some companies even fly students out to their offices for these events! In my sophomore year, I applied to a hackathon for JP Morgan and got in. Working with other CS majors from around the country, I built an application for a nonprofit in just 24 hours. That experience ultimately led to a software engineering internship at JP Morgan, all without a traditional interview. So, beyond the roles themselves, look for hackathons, information sessions, and summits that can boost your visibility and get your foot in the door.

Rohan (on right) with his internship team at JP Morgan. Photo credit: Rohan Gavankar.

Network, Network, Network

Networking can be one of your biggest assets in the internship search. Building connections with employees at companies you’re interested in can lead to referrals, giving you a huge leg up. Use LinkedIn and Handshake to connect with employees and recruiters who might be able to help. Career fairs are also great networking opportunities if you go with a plan. Make a list of companies you want to talk to, know what you want to discuss, and prioritize those connections. This approach helped me secure multiple interviews and saved time by focusing on meaningful conversations rather than aimlessly wandering from booth to booth.

Rohan (3rd from right) with Code for Good teammates at JP Morgan’s hackathon. Photo credit: Rohan Gavankar.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 

Finding the right internship took persistence—balancing schoolwork, personal projects, and application deadlines isn’t easy. I constantly revised my resume and kept practicing my technical skills, and it paid off with offers in data science and software engineering. But if you don’t land an internship, don’t worry. There are so many alternatives, like research or taking the summer to build your skills through projects or courses.

Rohan (left) with teammates at County Financial. Photo credit: Rohan Gavankar.

Why Internships Are Worthwhile

Internships give you real-world experience and the chance to work in teams in ways that classes don’t. They helped me grow technically and developed my skills as a collaborator and communicator. Especially as we spend so much time doing things like projects and studying individually and for ourselves, internships are a great way to learn what it is like to work for something else. An internship is one of the most valuable steps you can take to build your career path, and I wish you the best of luck in your internship search!

Favorite Non-STAT courses!

by Ricky Lin

Ricky is a 2nd year student in Statistics & Computer Science, shares some of his favorite courses outside of Statistics that he’s experienced so far! Read on for some great insights and recommendations.

Everybody has to take their major classes. But when you have the option to choose a gen-ed or just take a class for the fun of it, there are so many awesome options to choose from. This is where the breadth of college comes from, and getting a well-rounded education comes into play. Here are a few of my personal favorites!

BTW the gen-eds double dip in two requirements, so if that’s something you are looking for, register early since spots are limited!

Photo credit: Ricky Lin

TE 200 Introduction to Innovation

Although this class is restricted to LLC residents, if you are in one or want to apply for one, I’d definitely recommend it! I was part of the Innovation LLC in the Technology Entrepreneur Center and it was a fun environment where I met some cool people! It’s a 1-hour seminar class, where there are weekly readings and class meetings are mostly discussions. You learn about successful entrepreneurs and the keys to success to start from a simple idea to a full-fledged start-up. I took it with Keilin and she was super nice to talk to. I’d definitely recommend talking with her if you have any ideas related to entrepreneurship in general.

However, the most interesting part of the class is participating in the IDEA Fair, which is a project pitching competition where students prototype their ideas and judges award money. Getting to brainstorm and work in a group is interesting, and puts your creativity to the test. Last fall, my team (PATH) secured the $500 AWARE award and it was a great experience!

Ricky (far right) and teammates with their award from the IDEA fair. Photo credit: Ricky Lin.

ArtJ302 Intro to Japanese Animation

One of my favorite gen-eds at UIUC is ArtJ302. It’s an online synchronous class run via Zoom, but that doesn’t take away from its engagement and awesome material! Professor Lindsey Stirek was very passionate and nice about the material. She gave us a great overview of anime as a whole and how different techniques are employed to illustrate ideas. Often in class, we just watched classical anime like Akira and Afro Samurai.

The best part of the class was the final, where we had the freedom to create a video essay, animation, or any medium related to the topics we learned in class. I just made a video essay on Attack on Titan, but I was blown away by the talent of some of my classmates’ animations. Definitely highly recommend this if you love anime or just want to see what the hype is all about!

Afro228 Hip Hop Music: History & Culture

This class is the latest gen-ed I have taken, and has definitely taken me by surprise. When I signed up, I expected the class to be interesting because I enjoy listening to rap, but I became increasingly invested in the origins and backstory behind the music. The professor, John Meyers, loves what he teaches, and explains things in a critical way that shows you why they are important. It’s not a memorizing date or people type of class, but rather more cause and effect and how the industry has changed over time. In class, we often listen to artists like Public Enemy, 2Pac, Nas, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem.

We also get exposed to social issues in the East and West coast, which are key components of the sound of rap. It’s a sophisticated and rather complex class that encourages further thinking, so if you want to engage with American hip-hop culture and learn about how it has evolved over time, look no further!

To conclude, I’d recommend taking classes that interest you rather than spend time simply fulfilling a requirement for the sake of doing it. Steve Jobs dropped all of his technical classes and took a design calligraphy class just because he thought it was interesting, and the rest was history (this is an exaggeration, but you get the point). Sometimes taking less classes to enjoy college is the way to go—you only go to college once.

One thing to keep in mind is that at first, nothing really makes sense. Everyone is trying to figure life out and what they want to do. But be open to new experiences and give things a try, and when you look back the dots will connect. Go for that business, graphic design, or computer science minor you’ve been thinking about. Why not? I hope this has given some perspective and wish you all the best of luck for registration

Favorite Statistics Courses

by Mia Paelmo

Looking for recommendations on STAT courses? Want some insights on what certain STAT courses might offer you? Read Mia’s thoughts below on her favorite STAT electives she’s experienced so far!

When I first came to Illinois I remember the first thing I received during my orientation was a recommended schedule for statistics courses I should take each semester. The first few semesters listed the required courses (STAT 400, STAT 410, etc.), but the remaining half semesters simply said ‘ STAT Electives’. I remember not having any idea which courses to take, but as an incoming freshman I thought ‘Oh well it’s still too early, I’ll worry about that when I need to’. News flash! College goes by faster than you think, and before you know it you’re on Reddit a few hours before your registration slot trying to figure out what the best elective is. Don’t get me wrong, Reddit can be a very useful source when picking out certain courses, I know I have definitely used it in the past. However, it would have been nice to get advice from a friendly face, someone I could trust. And that is exactly who I am going to be for you! Today, I will be recommending two of my favorite statistics electives I have taken throughout the past 4
years.

STAT 385 – Statistical Programming Methods
The first course that I always recommend to statistics majors is STAT 385, also known as ‘Statistical Programming Methods’. I loved this course, and personally think that it should be required for the major because of how useful it is, not just in real life but in other statistics courses as well. This class is basically an introduction to R and RStudio. You will learn data transformations, how to use base R functions, and you will be introduced to many different packages. And while that is all fun and exciting, I think the main reason why I recommend this class to others is because it helps you become comfortable with R and RStudio. After I took STAT 385, I was in STAT 425 and 426, which are two required courses for the major. In both classes, I did most of the assignments in R, and both of the professors did in class examples using R. In fact, I think I have used R and RStudio in almost all of the higher level statistics courses I have taken. So yeah, as a statistics major here at Illinois, it’s good to know R and RStudio. And while the content in STAT 385 is more about programming rather than data analysis in R, I think I was more comfortable using R/RStudio in my other classes because of my experience in STAT 385. I think this is a very well-developed course where you learn many useful tools, and I always recommend this class to anyone who is starting to think of what electives to take. It sets up a good foundation as you start to take more higher level and applied statistics courses.

STAT 432 – Basics of Statistical Learning
The second course I would recommend is STAT 432, also known as ‘Basics of Statistical Learning’. I took this course the spring semester of my junior year, and I enjoyed the content and structure of the class a lot! In this class you will learn about supervised and unsupervised machine learning. You will learn different algorithms such as logistic regression and classification trees, and you’ll use R (see, I told you!) to create models for each technique. I loved this class because I found the material super interesting and it was the first class where I felt like I was using my skills for real life application. It did not just feel like another college class where I had to get assignments done for a grade, I genuinely wanted to build models and understand how they worked. I also think when you have a passionate professor, they can project that passion and interest onto their students. When I took this class in the spring, Professor Gökçe
Dayanıklı taught it and she was very thorough with the material and always valued the feedback of the students, which I think was a great aspect of the course! The final project encouraged us to collaborate with others, develop different models and evaluate their performance, and summarize our findings in a written report. Overall, this was a well-rounded course that offered real life application for both technical and practical skills, I highly recommend it!

To wrap up, I think all of the statistics courses offered at Illinois are exceptional! And while I do recommend looking into the two courses I discussed today when registering for classes, it is important to remember that the purpose of electives is to further explore topics that interest and excite you. I’m glad I was able to share my experiences and I hope this post gave you a little more insight on a few interesting courses we have in this department!

Study tips, academic resources, and productivity tools

by Carrie Song

Carrie, a junior majoring in Statistics, shares some advice and tips for finding academic success while maintaining balance in a busy semester.

As we’re getting towards the middle of the semester, the excitement of school getting started might be fading away and it’s perfectly normal to feel stressed about assignments, midterms and other tasks. Whether you are just getting started on your college career or one semester away from graduating, here are some tips I find particularly helpful to make life and studying easier.

Rest
Yes, it might sound crazy but taking a break from time to time when doing intense studying can help you concentrate better. This could be zoning out for 5 minutes after finishing a problem set or going grocery shopping in the middle of the day just to take your mind off work. Personally, I love grabbing a boba and taking a short walk late in the afternoon, it relaxes my brain in a way that I can focus and be more productive when I get back. Also, try not to stay up too late at night, especially during weekdays, as not getting enough sleep will somewhat affect your ability to concentrate on the next day –trust me, you don’t want to fall asleep in lectures and having to make up the contents all by yourself towards the end of the semester.

View on the South Quad. Photo credit: Carrie Song.

Practice Regularly
In most STEM classes, the key to success is generally not how smart you are, but how much time you are willing to dedicate to practicing. Doing homework problems independently, organizing notes, working collaboratively with a study group… all these things are super helpful when you’re trying to get a satisfactory grade in a certain class. Having trouble understanding some of the class material? Go to o ice hours! The course staff are there to help students succeed in class. Even outside of class, there are resources that will help you succeed in classes such as the C.A.R.E. tutoring held by the Grainger College of Engineering. Make sure you understand the basic information or concept for a certain topic before you dive into the problem sets, plus constant review of these information will allow you to be more familiar with the subject.

Get Organized & Plan Ahead
Things can get really messy if you have 4 or 5 classes going on at the same time, especially when each one of them has assignments due at a different time. One thing I find particularly useful dealing with it is that I would filter out the big assignments (ones that gives you a longer period of time to finish), and spread them out step by step, making sure I’m constantly working on instead of forgetting its existence until two hours before it’s due. For the works that have weekly due dates, I tend to dedicate a time slot for them in each week and try to finish them during that time slot. This allows a sense of regularity in the messy schedule and in some way, makes a habit. Another thing I find helpful is to have an estimate of how much time you need for each task and give yourself some extra time to finish that task in case something happens. This way, you’ll be unlikely to forget about something and therefore have a higher chance in succeeding.

Hard at work! Photo credit: Carrie Song.

Change Study Spots
When you’re tired of your old study spot, go somewhere else and see what else you can find! I find it helpful especially during finals week and everywhere is crowded. A change of environment can be refreshing to the brain and get you back to focusing. Some of my favorite study spots are the ACES Funk Library, the Psychology building and the Illini Union!

The Funk ACES Library. Photo credit: Carrie Song.

With that much being said, it’s eventually up to each individual to find out which way works best, and I hope the strategies I’ve taken in the past could be inspiring to you and help ease some of that stress. Nevertheless, I’m sure you’ll do amazing in the semester, best of luck!

Five Pieces of Advice I Would Give to a First-Year Student

by Alyssa Anastasi

Alyssa shares some advice for new students at Illinois.

  1. There is not one “set path” to achieving goals
    It is really easy to compare your own journey to others and think that what you are doing is not enough or not the “right” way to achieve your end goals. Something that I’ve learned over the past 4 years is that there is no right or wrong way to go through college, get an internship or job, and achieve your goals. An eye-opening experience I had was at my first internship where the head of the Data Analytics team was an English major in undergrad! It really showed me that what happens in undergrad doesn’t define exactly what will happen in your life and career. When I came in freshman year, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I started as an Elementary Education major who then switched into Statistics, and then switched to Statistics & Computer Science.
    My path is definitely not the typical path of a Stat&CS major, but I have still been able to experience internships and opportunities that I have been passionate about and learned so much from. As long as you are doing things that you feel passionate about and are proud of what you accomplished, there is no right or wrong answer for what you need to do to get the opportunities that you want!
  1. Build your Network
    When I first started college, everyone always told me that building my network was important, but to be honest, I never took it seriously or understood why it was important. Now, as a senior, I understand that building a network allows you to meet more people, learn about opportunities, and even gain opportunities in RSOs or internships that you wouldn’t even know about without them. If you’re feeling nervous and wondering where you even start building your network, I would recommend first meeting people and making friends with students from all years in your major. It can be helpful to know people within your major to take classes with and get recommendations and resources from. Then, I would network with professors, especially ones whose research is an area of interest to you. You can do this by attending office hours, asking questions, and even becoming a course assistant for classes you enjoy. I would also recommend attending career fairs to speak to recruiters and current employees to gain insight into the positions they have.
STAT 107 course staff. From left: CA Alyssa Anastasi, Professor Karle Flanagan, Professor Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider, TA Arghya Chakraborty, and CA Helen Wu. Photo credit: Alyssa Anastasi.
  1. Take Advantage of Campus Events and Resources
    One of the best things about college is that there are so many events, opportunities, and resources available just for students! College is unique in the sense that everything you need is available within walking distance. On campus, we have access to McKinley for doctors’ appointments, the ARC for the gym, and the second largest academic library in the country, just to name a few! There are also many ways to meet people and explore interests like intramural sports through Campus Recreation, RSOs (academic and hobby related), and part time jobs. In my time at Illinois, I’ve worked at the Ice Arena (I love to ice skate), on tech crew at Krannert Center (I hung lights for plays and musicals), and as a course assistant for STAT 107 (#datascienceduo). There are also so many things that I would recommend experiencing at least once to get the full Illinois experience. Some of the top items from my list are: going to an Illinois football and basketball game, seeing a show at Krannert, attend a barn dance, and see the cherry blossoms at Japan House!
    Attending a football game at Memorial Stadium. Photo credit: Alyssa Anastasi.
    1. Go to Office Hours
      Office hours are the BEST resource if you are struggling in a class. Office hours are hosted by professors, TAs (typically graduate students), or CAs (typically undergraduate students) who have expertise in the material. They are there to help support your learning and can walk you through homework assignments, midterm review, and anything related to the class! I know it can be scary to go to office hours, but it is always worth it!
    1. You deserve to be here!
      You got into UIUC for a reason – you are deserving and belong here just as much as anyone else at UIUC. No matter what your experiences are, imposter syndrome can affect everyone. Even the people who you think would never experience imposter syndrome, probably do in some way. Through your time here, it is really important to know that you are fully capable of doing anything you want to, from passing a hard class to securing an internship! It is easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but the only thing that matters is that you are happy and you feel successful! College is about YOUR experience, and it is so important to remember that!