My Every Day Carry as a Data Scientist

Being a data scientist requires a blend of technical skills, analytical thinking, and the right tools. Here are the top 10 essentials every data scientist should have to excel in their field.

1. High-Performance Laptop

A powerful laptop is a must for any data scientist. Look for one with a fast processor, ample RAM (16GB or more), and a large SSD for storage. Popular choices include the MacBook Pro and Lenovo Thinkpad.



2. Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4 are crucial if you need to concentrate in public. You can have it passthrough if you do need to hear people talk and it has siri/google integration so can use the function without taking out your phone. Because taking out your phone will make you lose concentration while you check out social media or play wordle. As for why did I buy this instead of the xm5? The price was better and I don't think the xm5 has enough improvements to justify the steep price difference.



3. A Nice Notebook

LEUCHTTURM1917 is the best notebook ever made. Maybe. I think they're slightly better than moleskin. I like I have the choice for lined. I use the dotted paper because it's helpful to make grids in this line of work.



4. A Nice Pen

The Sharpie Pen goes great with the aforementioned notebook. You're familiar with the Sharpie name. They make great markers. They also make great pens. I used to be a UniBall loyalist, until this pen came out.



5. A quality H20 container

The Nalgene Bottle is a classic. I guess my preference of water bottle really ages me. Stanley Cup this, Owala bottle that. I don't want to wash straws. I just want to drink water quickly and refill them easily.



6. A portable power bank

Anker has always been a household name when it comes to power. I've used them for the last decade. I've seen more brands start showing up, but I'm sticking with this brand unless I start seeing a drop in quality.



7. A wireless mouse

Logitech MX Master is another household name that needs no introduction. I've been contemplating taking some time to be an elite coder who doesn't need a mouse. Mark my words, one of these days, I'll take a weekend to learn all the keyboard shortcuts so I can abandon my reliance on the mouse.



8. A usb stick

I don't remember the last time I needed to use a usb stick. I think I keep one handy just in case. You never know if you're going to need one. It takes up almost no space. It just lives in my bag pocket collecting dust. One of these days, I'll use it and thank my lucky stars that I just had one handy.



9. Backup Internet Device

AKA my phone. I'm an android loyalist because I can use it as a hotspot. I can't tell you how many times using my phone as a hotspot has gotten me out of a tight spot. Sometimes, I just don't want to connect to the public wifi. I'll just toggle my phone and I'm connected to the internet.



10. Chapstick

No one likes chapped lips. This is almost as important as any other key item as a data scientist.