I started an actuarial science degree too and this is exactly my experience. But I then ditched it and took a different path. It was quite a risk at the time (not an actuary joke, oh my god just no).
I was 18 and dumb and knew I was good at mathematics and that it was a good career. But it was actually quite dull and, like you say, very robotic. So I was able to switch degrees to pure math and then computer science and then crypto. I’m glad I did. It’s more interesting, challenging, and despite it never being my goal, more well-paid anyways.
Basically it just strikes me as a very safe, stable, dull job. Also what kind of 18 year old was I to want this?!
I also did the same as an 18 year old. It wasn't the math that got me at the time, it was the hardcore statistics. This isn't the mid-tier stuff the data science people get paid for, these are the ridiculous sort of probability problems that just bend your mind trying to wrap your head around it.
I think it's a very powerful job background to have if you ever want to get into investing hardcore. The financial background it gives you is incredibly helpful for making investment comparisons. I still use the stuff that I learned when studying for the FM test for personal finance decisions like paying off mortgage vs student loans vs various basic investments.
what do you do in crypto? As a programmer I find bitcoin really fascinanting and was thinking about learning the codebase and trying to contribute something to community but I find it really hard to do so...
A couple years ago, "crypto" would have been short for cryptography. These days, it can be that or the cryptocurrency madness.
In this case, I thought Moodles meant cryptography. Also, I'm not sure whether you're joking by choosing to understand it as cryptocurrency. Or perhaps you're both talking about cryptocurrencies and I'm the only confused one here...
I was 18 and dumb and knew I was good at mathematics and that it was a good career. But it was actually quite dull and, like you say, very robotic. So I was able to switch degrees to pure math and then computer science and then crypto. I’m glad I did. It’s more interesting, challenging, and despite it never being my goal, more well-paid anyways.
Basically it just strikes me as a very safe, stable, dull job. Also what kind of 18 year old was I to want this?!