Becoming Excellent in Excel

When I was in high school, I was required to take a computer skills class in which I learned how to properly use various Microsoft applications. During my sophomore year of college, I took a similiar course, again because it was required. Incredibly, within a week of final exams, I could hardly add a row in an Excel document.

This same forgetfulness also characterized my initial college writing courses. I couldn't remember many basics of AP style after my first, second and third journalism classes. I couldn't format a memo to save my life once my business writing course ended.

I attribute this phenomenon to the fact that in each of these classes, the work I was doing was not "real." It didn't go to a client, it didn't serve a real purpose. I didn't see how any of my assignments benefited me or anyone else.

Amazingly, now that I am using AP style everyday here at Eisbrenner on real press releases that go to real clients, I can actually remember which numbers to write out and which to use numerals for. Now that I use Excel almost every day to create media lists, its many functions are finally sticking in my head.