moving images and texts
there has been a surge of youtube videos, especially the 5 to 10 minutes form, along with a lot of shortsâvideos explaining concepts in one or two minutes. i enjoy them and they help me get acquainted with whatever is new in the world lately.
but i think they fail to provide basic intuitions. a 15-minute video explaining regression might help me understand the formula and how i might want to apply it, but it just doesn't stay in my head (ngmi), and after a week, i forget how the minimization cost works. on the contrary, when i watch a 1.5-hour long video, it gives me a better intuition of how things are working internally.
i prefer to read over watching when the topics become too complicated. it helps me develop a mental model while reading. reading gives me time to think, ponder, and digest what the author really wants to say.
for a while, i thought being a fast reader was fun. reading 10 pages in 2 minutes would look cool, but i'm not sure if this helps. it's simply not for everybody. i should be less afraid of reading slowly.
i've realized my mind works best when i write things down, make bullet points, think in graphs, or write on a blank sheet. i'm able to brainstorm and make much better connections in my head. simply, the process is much more enjoyable. lately i am trying to do more of it and try to carry a diary everywhere with me so that i can write things down and clear my head.