title: Python read datestring from excel file
body: <p>I have data in excel file with Column A as DateTime String and Column B with data. I want to read the excel file in Python and create dictionary of two elements. The first being a datetime vector and second being data.</p>
  
  <p>The data in excel file looks as:</p>
  
  <pre><code>DateTime    Marks
  1/1/10 23:00     38.86 
  2/1/10 12:00     36.19 
  1/1/10 13:00     35.10 
  1/1/10 14:00     39.87 
  5/1/10 15:00     39.48 
  1/1/10 16:00     38.64 
  1/1/10 17:00     39.19 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I wrote the following snippet to start:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import xlrd
  import os.path
  wb = xlrd.open_workbook(os.path.join('C:\Users\JD\Documents\RandomNumber','DateTimeData.xlsx'))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But I have no clue what to do next?</p>