New Perspectives on Problems

I was offered a few options for the next potential role I would take. I talked to the managers and formed my own thoughts. I was being very biased, focusing on what I thought would interest me. I like analytics, not to the degree of becoming a data scientist but I enjoy analyzing numbers and...

Actuary // Opinion on Changes to ASA Curriculum

SOA recently published their changes to the current ASA curriculum. A lot of words and long sentences in the update but bottom line, everything is changing. Speaking of curriculum update, every few years, SOA makes some small or relatively medium changes to their syllabus and curriculum. The ASA path usually experience more changes than the...

We/I live in the time with extreme uncertainty

Many people spent hours watching election results these past few days, including me. The results have been very nerve-racking and distracting. We live in a time with extreme uncertainty. Everything is so delicate that there is a chance of anything breaking out. I am not a citizen, thus cannot vote. Yet I have spent so...

A totally honest wish list

My exam is this week. My first actuarial exam after working full-time. Certainly not thrilled about just almost any exam. It is also the most stressful exam for me. To recap, it has been over a year since I last took an actuarial exam. Studying is never an easy thing. It is always so mentally...

What does Fall feel?

Every season is so distinctive. Each of them has a unique smell that signals its coming or going and each of them brings in a different vibe. Just like summer to me is noisy, Fall is a great time to calm down and reflect. My favorite thing about fall is the weather. No AC needed...

Balance and Stress

It truly has been a long time since I had posted something about stress. Life without tests gives me a lot of heart attacks but no long-term stress. I make a mistake at work and correct it. It doesn't affect me in the non-working hours. However, there's one special thing about young actuaries that we...

“The Social Dilemma”

The Social Dilemma is a recent documentary released on Netflix. The concept intrigued me as it was exploring how much worse life has become because of social media. I've made a dozen posts about how I hate social media and how hard it is for me to quit it. I've made so many promises to...

Drive with Music and Walk in Peace

The beauty of Fall lies in its breeze and coolness. The fullness of sun shines through the ready-to-turn-yellow leaves, bringing a little bit of much-needed warmth. Unlike summer, blasting sunshine is much rarer to find and much more pleasant. With not as many bugs disturbing your walk, Fall is the best season to hike in...

Driving Through the Storm

Following a weekend getaway in Maine, I drove back to Connecticut. What would have been a three hour drive ended up being a five hour drive, with lots of stories. Before going to Maine, I was in a frustrating mode. I was not doing well at work. I found myself making mistakes a lot and...

Half a year in this working mode

I started working full time six months ago, before covid-19 was declared a pandemic and before everyone was sent home with a monitor. During these six months, so much has happened within our team and in the greater environment. Winter, Spring, Summer and soon to be Fall. While I am learning how to perform my...

Long-term remote work needs another solution

Ever since covid, millions of people have been asked to work from home. This unprecedented shift forced employees to find other ways to maintain productivity. Every coin has two sides. When WFH was first introduced, we discovered that people are actually able to work effectively while at work. It encouraged some companies and employees to...

Age should never be a problem

It seems like after a certain age, you are basically set for life. All the years after then are just similar and not worth mentioning. I often have the feeling that I am always getting older and running out of time in living my life. There seems to be a societal expectation about when someone...

Creating Unique Memory

What's in your mind when you think of your high school years? What about college? Fast forward 10 years, what do you think you will remember from the current moment? The memory is constituted of many parts. In my understanding, the first part is probably the historical events that is simply unforgettable. We still remember...