u/Hot-Variation-32

Hey everyone,
I’m a senior in college starting a security analyst student apprenticeship soon and wanted to ask for some advice from people already in the field. My previous experience was through a security audit internship where I conducted a physical security assessment for a water facility. That experience gave me exposure to critical infrastructure security, risk assessment, access controls, and thinking about security from both the physical and operational side. For those of you working as security analysts or in SOC environments:
What skills should I focus on early?

What do you wish you knew before starting?

Any tools, labs, certifications, or habits you’d recommend for someone entering the field?

Any advice for standing out and learning quickly during an apprenticeship?

I’m especially interested in blue team work, threat detection, and incident response, but I’m open to exploring different areas as I learn more. Appreciate any advice or insights you can share!

Childfree people are constantly called selfish for choosing not to have children, but honestly, a lot of parents come across as far more self-centered to me. No offense to regretful parents, but reading posts in those spaces often reinforces that feeling. So many of the complaints revolve around how their lives changed, how hard parenting is, and how nobody warned them that having children would make life more difficult. Meanwhile, many childfree people seem to put far more thought and consideration into the reality of bringing a child into the world than some actual parents do. I was recently talking with a friend and her husband, who are expecting their first baby. She’s Black and originally from an African country, while he’s white and comes from a very white American family. During the conversation, they kept emphasizing that they “don’t care who watches the baby,” and something about it felt strange to me, especially considering they’re having a Black daughter. If I were in their position, I’d absolutely be cautious and intentional about who I trusted around my child.
Maybe I’m hyper-aware because I’ve read a lot about CSA statistics, even though I’ve never personally experienced it. Most abuse happens at the hands of someone the child already knows and trusts, which is exactly why I find it odd when parents seem completely blasé about leaving their children with just anyone. To me, being thoughtful, cautious, and realistic about the risks and responsibilities of parenthood is the opposite of selfish.