In this modern age, you can’t be caught dead not using a computer. With these technological wonders of the 21st century slowly and surely taking over every aspect of our lives—government systems used to be made up of gazillion filing cabinets are now being replaced by more efficient machines; different working industries are incorporating computers to cut-back on some tasks and be more efficient; even some schools are altogether getting rid of pens, papers, books, and are opting for digital notebooks, libraries and other teaching aids—we humans have to be geared up for this inevitable invasion.

Time will come (or perhaps we are already living it) that these mean machines will be at the bottom of Maslow’s infamous pyramid—that is, computers will soon be an indispensable necessity in our lives. As such, afflicted people should start getting rid of their technophobia, and embrace the new computer age, if they wish to survive in the long run. For the younger generation, this isn’t a problem as they take to these new technologies as easily as they take to breathing. Teens easily catch up to trends and anything new that pops up suddenly. Yuppies and the general working class have no problem either, as computers have become an integral part of their working environment. For the older lot or those whose career doesn’t involve the use of these evolved abacuses, however, it’s a different story.

So if you’re one of the unequipped to face the rapidly modernizing world, here’s a list of the following skills you should learn now, in order not to be left behind and get classified as ‘ancient’.

Familiarize yourself with Microsoft platform, including its programs. Basic things like typing, copy & pasting, and other simple commands (keyboard and otherwise) are a must. Viewing pictures, watching movies, and basic troubleshooting should also be in your list.

Use the Internet. Being able to utilize the World Wide Web without fear will emancipate you in more ways than one. Chat, join forums, social networking sites, and blog away.

Get to know the hardware as well, so that you can be your own technician when the PC breaks down and needs some TLC.

Take it a step further and learn HTML, CSS and PHP. You never know when it might come in handy. They’re pretty basic languages so learning them will be a cinch. You might also try using Adobe Photoshop, and when you do take the web designing/developing business seriously, download the SiteGrinder plug-in for Photoshop as well.

For those who aspire to be Digital artists, learning how to Vector using Illustrator would definitely add to your knowledge. Study InDesign as well, and read up on Flash if you’ve got the time. Coincidentally, if you’re using Photoshop and Flash, it’s a good idea to get the PSD2FLA plug-in—it’ll make your life easier.

Once you’ve mastered the above suggested skills, well, congratulations. Now, that one achievement you’ve accomplished. You can choose to this further, maybe learn new computer languages, and even create a program by yourself. The possibilities, as proven before, are definitely endless.

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