1. Get Some Noncredit Training
Local libraries, adult schools, and community colleges often have noncredit courses in the most popular computer programs, such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Other popular topics include navigating the Internet and setting up an email account. If you have mastered these basics and want a little more training, consider a course in Facebook, Twitter and other social media, which have become a powerful force in gathering and disseminating information.
2. Purchase A Home Computer
If you have been relying on the library or your office as the place to go online, now is the time to make the switch to having a computer of your own. Once you are accepted and enrolled in a college, you will be eligible for student discounts on many computers. Most students find a laptop more convenient than a desktop computer, because they can bring it to class for note taking and other school-related work.
3. Try An Online Tutorial
Practice is the best way to get familiar with your computer, and trying out some free online classes or exercises can be a great way to get you started and help you learn the basic skills. Many of the software manufacturers offer online training - sometimes for free, sometimes for a fee - on their programs. For example, Microsoft Office training is offered online by Microsoft Corp.
4. Find Something You Love and Try It Online
Whether you love to play bridge, solve puzzles, or share your plagiarism checker opinions on movies or books, there is a place online for your interests. By discovering one of these websites, you can connect with other people over your interest, and at the same time brush up on your skills while you are emailing, chatting, or playing cards.
5. Find a Tutor
Look for a high school or college student to help you learn the basics, such as how to work the mouse, how to navigate different windows, how to print, etc. Whether this person is a friend or relative, or someone that you pay to help, it can be a shortcut to getting proficient. Also, it can be invaluable to have someone you can call on to coach you through the problems that can arise with computers. If you have already used a tutor for one or two sessions, they are often available to answer questions.