If you’re thinking about studying astrophysics, in this video I break it down into two buckets: the skills you’ll actually use day-to-day, and the mindsets that make the whole thing sustainable. On the skills side, I talk about mathematics first, because it’s basically the language you’ll be using to describe the universe. You don’t need to be some kind of prodigy, but you do need to be willing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and to build competence steadily. I also cover programming, because modern astrophysics is computational—whether that’s analysing data, simulating systems, or just making your workflow faster. And then there’s scientific writing: communicating clearly is a core part of the job, not an optional extra. Then I move onto the mindsets I think matter most. Passion helps, but it’s not the fluffy “I love space” version—it’s the kind that carries you through the boring bits and the hard weeks. I also explain why you have to accept ignorance as normal: you’re not failing because you don’t know something; you’re literally training in a field where not knowing is the default. Finally, curiosity is the engine that keeps you learning, asking better questions, and improving your understanding over time.