Using Adobe Creative Suite

by: Tiffany Smock

As I've progressed through my internship, I've had to face some tough obstacles. One of my biggest hurdles has been dealing with the Adobe Creative Suite. Having never really used any of the programs in it, I did not see the importance of knowing how it worked. In my eyes, Adobe was something for graphic design majors or computer science students. However, over the course of my time in my classes and in my internship I have come to see that knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite is important no matter what your major is.

I know the first thought that will come into your head is "But Adobe Creative Suite is expensive. I cannot afford it so how can I learn?" I am like many of you. Being a college student leaves us at financial disadvantages, but one of the perks at Purdue is free access to the program using your school account. The most up-to-date version of Adobe is available for you to use and play around with. There are excellent tutorials online if you run into problems as well as "how-to" YouTube videos. While it is difficult, you can use these resources to teach yourself how to work these programs. I would highly recommend asking a friend or even a graphic design major for help on how to fully understand the programs. I myself have a close friend who knows all the ins and outs of the Creative Suite and this has significantly helped me in my process of learning.

My advice to you all is learn how to use Adobe Creative Suite. It doesn't matter what your major is, you will more than likely have to use it, or a program similar to it, at some point in your life. If you prepare yourself at an early stage, such as here at college where you are given free access to the program, you will benefit yourself in the long run.