So, you are choosing psychology? When I was about to join psychology, I told myself one thing: “I will not judge a person by the mistakes they have made, but by the lessons they have learned from them. And their past is a key to understanding them, not a reason to condemn them.”

Statistics

I don’t know if you like statistics or not, my friend, you will need to get into understanding statistics. Statistics will help you in your research.

I have had friends who were running away from mathematics and then cribbed seeing statistics in this course. Statistics is simple, you just need to get it. Take stats as a serious friend who is very logical, you start understanding what happens when, and things will fall into place.

A simple tip to begin with Statistics: start reading research papers, specifically the methodology section and analysis section. You will start getting the hang of stats vocabulary, and building an understanding of what is needed when.

Psychology is not limited to mental health.

Freshmen often believe psychology is just mental health, it’s not. Psychology is a part of everything from the decision I made to write this blog to the sale in your favourite online store. Actually, this picture below also. Tell me in the comments, why?

Don’t need to memorise everything

Don’t worry about remembering everything, it is a process and you will learn things along the way. When you will start with the course, you would start getting too many ideas and facts on your way. Trust me, you need not worry about remembering them but understanding them.

Observe

One of the best things about psychology is that it’s an empirical science. That means that everything we learn about psychology is based on observation and evidence. We don’t just make up theories about how people work. We actually study how people behave in real life.

This means that you can learn a lot about psychology just by observing the people around you. You can watch how they interact with each other, how they react to different situations, and how they make decisions. You can also learn a lot by reading about psychology and talking to people who study it.

Often, psychological phenomenons are observed with robust evidence than finding scientific explanations for the event.

People often stereotype that good observers sit silently. Take that as a myth, you will learn why. 

Analyse, Analyse and Analyse

Whatever career path you choose in psychology, you will always need the ability to analyse it well.

1. Academic counsellors: analyze student test scores, academic transcripts, and other data to help students develop their academic plans and make informed decisions about their education.
2. Clinical psychologists: analyze their clients’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to help them understand their problems and develop treatment plans.
3. HR professionals: analyze employee performance data, personality tests, and other information to make hiring decisions, develop training programs, and improve employee satisfaction.
4. Behavioural scientists: analyze animal and human behavior to understand the underlying causes of behavior and develop interventions to change behavior.
5. Cognitive researchers: analyze how people think, learn, and remember to understand the cognitive processes that underlie human behaviour.
6. UX researchers: analyze user behavior and feedback to improve the usability and user experience of websites, apps, and other products.

TL;DR

Here’s a quick summary:

• Statistics is your friend. It will help you understand the data and make informed decisions.
• Psychology is not just about mental health. It is a part of everything from the decision I made to write this blog to the sale in your favorite online store.
• You don’t need to memorize everything. Understanding is more important than remembering.
• Observe the people around you. This is one of the best ways to learn about psychology.
• Be able to analyze data. This is a skill that will be essential in any career path you choose in psychology.