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Family and Consumer Science is a course designed to help prepare young people for the world to come. When many students complain about being unprepared for "real world" skills, they have failed to look and take all classes.
This class covers ten main topics which all are helpful for success in life. Those topics are...
- FCCLA - Family, Career and Community Leaders
- Goal Setting
- Living Spaces- Elements of design
- Healthy Relationships- Etiquette, Values, Boundaries
- Communication Skills- Refusal skills, Conflict resolution
- Family- Life cycle stages, Challenges, Functions
- Marriage- Laws, Traditions
- Consumer skills- Money Management
- Apparel- Clothing construction, Sewing, Care
- Food and Nutrition- Nutrition, Healthful eating, Cleanliness
To be prepared in life is to be well versed in the basics, and with what this course covers you are for sure going to feel a little bit better about stepping out into a world that seems so scary and cruel. As an upcoming senior I am nervous about taking that first step into "real life", and while some of these topics I already understood I can say without a doubt I am more confident in beginning my journey into adulthood.

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Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a nonprofit which seeks to better young men and young women through Family and Consumer Science Education. There are more than 5,300 chapters that all work to help the bright young minds of the worlds future. Their mission statement is...
"To promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and                                Consumer Sciences education. Focusing on the multiple roles of family member,
wage earner and community leader, members develop skills for life through:
character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal
communication, practical knowledge, and career preparation."

This sums up what they seek to do and how they wish to go about doing it. Their motto is "TOWARD NEW HORIZONS" and they push students to better themselves and everyone around them. They have conferences and active members who head committees and sponsor events to help everyone involved.

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Everyone needs to have goals. They can be big or small, long term or short term, but it is essential to set a bar for yourself. This pushes you to strive for the best, and even if this goal isn't reached the process of trying/training for something will leave a lasting impact on a person.
The five goal setting step are...
- Identify the goal
- Asses whether the goal is something you really want
- Make a plan
- Write down the action plan
- Reevaluate once in a while
Goal Setting can be a hard process. You might not know what you want to achieve, or you could think your aspirations too high but with the right mindset and plan most anything is possible.

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A house is a wonderful place and its a blessing to have. There is care that owners put into such a prideful object. There are three basic principles that are required for a home. Those are Safety, Comfort, and Security. You must have locks and working windows and doors. That's is your security aspect. Some people even add security systems for an extra level of comfort. The neighborhood and school district are all things to take into account. A home is a place where you can relax and finally breath after a long day so make it your own. Each persons comfort is different and there is a level of expression that can be found in a house. It displays what you hold close and how you chose to reflect that is an expression of your inner self. Your safety is different from your security in respect that your home should be a good place to live in. There shouldn't be mold growing or holes in the ceiling, rather there should be clean counters and smooth floors.

In addition to these basic principles there are seven key design elements that make your home look flawless. These are line, shape, space, proportion, form, texture, and color. All of these things work together to create a coherent home which is welcoming and lovely to be in.

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The problem with Interior Design is a lot many people confuse it with Interior Decoration. While the former refers to designing an entire living space from scratch, the latter refers to decorating an existent living space with added furniture and upholstery. Interior Design is indeed a science that is bound by its own elements and principles and yes, it is not as simple as one imagines it to be! Generally interior designers go by the rule book that states that 'There are 7 elements and 7 principles of Interior Design '.

We are going to cover all the 7 elements of interior design in this article, followed by an article explaining all the 7 principles. Let's begin!

1. Space
Space is one of the most important elements of interior design. Space acts as a foundation on which the entire interior design plan is built. Hence it is essential that the designer is well aware of the space available, its dimensions and its utilities. Space is divided into two types namely - Two Dimensional Space which covers the floor (includes length and width) and Three Dimensional Space which forms the living space (includes length, width and height). A space that is essentially filled with furniture/décor items is a Positive Space and an empty space is a Negative Space. An equilibrium has to be maintained between the positive and negative spaces and either overcrowding or skimping on the furniture/décor items is going to affect this equilibrium.

2. Line
Lines give birth to forms and shapes and are responsible for establishing a sense of harmony, contrast and unity (3 of the 7 principles) in a living space. They define shapes and act as visual guides of an interior space. Lines are broadly categorized into three types - Horizontal, Vertical and Dynamic. While horizontal lines adorn structures likes tables, chairs and beds, vertical lines can be found on windows, doorways and almirahs. While horizontal lines add a safe and secure feeling to the space, vertical lines emote free and expansive nature. Dynamic or angular lines, which are action oriented add drama and can be seen on structures like stairs. An interior designer must know how to utilize these lines to define the forms, another important interior design element.

3. Forms
Forms mean shapes in general, an outline of any three dimensional object in the space. Forms can be created by combining two or more shapes and can be accentuated with the help of other elements like texture, patterns and colors. A well-defined form establishes harmony and additional forms add balance to the space. There are two types of forms - Geometric (man-made) and Natural (organic). Also forms are categorized as open and closed; open forms are those that can be looked into and closed forms are those that are enclosed by a closed surface. A solid understanding of the above mentioned elements i.e. space and line is required to achieve a goof form.

4. Light
Light is one of the most obvious elements of interior design. Either natural or man-made, without light other elements namely color, texture and pattern have no significance at all. Light sets in the mood and ambience into a living space and highlights the every other element including space, line and forms. While smart placement of doors and windows should take care of the natural light, man-made or artificial lighting is broadly divided into three major types namely - Task Lighting, Accent Lighting and Mood Lighting. Task light as the name implies, includes light sources like table and bed lamps which have a defined purpose, dedicated for a specific task. Accent lights are meant for highlighting a particular piece or show item like artworks, structures, sculptures and so on. Mood or ambient lighting basically set the mood of the living space and illuminate the overall space.

5. Color
Colors don't need any special introduction. Colors establish an aesthetic connection between objects and set the mood. Colors must be chosen based on the psychology and the mindset of the dweller. For example, red is an excellent choice for dining room as it encourages appetite and green for bedroom as it is the color of tranquility and health. Each color has three distinct characteristics namely Hue, Value and Intensity, and an interior designer must be well aware of these characteristics to perform various permutations and combinations. Colors are broadly classified into Primary and Secondary colors and also sub-categorized into Tertiary, Complementary, Analogous and Monochromatic colors.

6. Texture
Texture mainly deals with surfaces and determines how a typical surface looks and feels. Texture adds depth and interest into a living space and defines the feel/appearance and consistency of a surface. Texture is broadly classified into two types - Visual Texture where the texture is only visible and Actual Texture where the texture is both seen and felt. Anything that has to do with textiles such as pillow cover, bed spreads or anything to do with covers like drapes, wall paint or wallpapers have a texture. While there must be a dominant texture to define a mood, a contrasting texture must also be included to avoid monotony.

7. Pattern
Patterns add interest and life to interior design and work along with colors. Patterns tell a story of their own and add the elements of continuity and smooth transition in a living space. Patterns could be of any shape and mostly comprise of attractive and repetitive designs. Paisley, a design pattern which takes the shape of a droplet-shaped vegetable is one of the most commonly used patterns on wall paints, pillow covers and other decorative surfaces.

Love decorating houses?
Want to be a professional Interior Designer?
If yes, then we might have the course tailor-made for you! Join our 'Diploma in Interior Design' online course today!

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7 Elements of Interior Design - Launchpad Academy

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The problem with Interior Design is a lot many people confuse it with Interior Decoration. While the former refers to designing an entire living space from scratch, the latter refers to decorating an existent living space with added furniture and upholstery.

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The key to all relationships is communication and trust. You should always be comfortable enough to voice your own thoughts and feeling without fear. In this padlet a list of good skills and traits you should have in a relationship is written. Take it to heart for you could need to change things about your current relationship to ensure a healthy and thriving relationship that can last a lifetime.

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Communication is key for any relationship, friendship, or simply put, any time you need to talk to someone. These skills include refusal skills, active listening, and conflict resolution.
There is a healthy way to say no, and its not by getting angry and screaming in someone's face. You need to be polite yet assertive. Don't let others turn the problem onto you and don't let them walk all over you.
Active listening isn't just being in someones presence when they talk but responding and giving feedback. Be engaged in a conversation and have facial expressions and other cues that tell someone you are involved in what they say.
Resolving a conflict comes in all forms. You can confront someone or ask an adult, but it always comes down to a problem at hand that needs to be spoken about.

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The life cycle stages go from marriage, to young children, to teens, to teens leaving for college/job, then have the other families and then those children leave and get married and the cycle continues.
A family has many functions and most of those are to mend and support. Families don't put each other down, rather they are there to lift up. There is a level of safety that should be there with a family.
Even when financial and mental challenges arise families work to fix this. If there is a death in the family or divorce then families work to lend a hand. Other surprises like a sickness or sudden children can challenge a family in another way but families will adapt and work to factor in new things.

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There are many laws and they are all different in every state and country. In America the basic laws are...
- need parent approval for 16 year olds
- need a marriage license
- same sex marriage is legal
- can't be close blood relatives
- two consenting adults
These things are all required for a legally binding marriage.
Choosing a spouse should reflect your values and even if people say "opposites attract" but if you are too different a marriage might not work out and divorce is a very long process.

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To be a good consumer you need to be knowledgeable about credit and savings. Your credit is when you have money you will pay off eventually that can get interest added on. Your savings can be budgeted and be saved for future problems and/or plans.
Savings are needed for retirement and living day to day life that has sudden challenges and problems that come up. This preparedness is money management and its a hard skill to attain, but it is a necessary skill to have. Learn to save for the future and keep yourself out of debt and with a good credit score.

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The clothes we wear reflect our personalities and how we want the world to view us as. We must learn to dress appropriately and express ourselves accurately.
You can sew or buy clothes. There are a few basic stitches like a running stitch, a catch stitch, and a slip stitch. These all do different things and are appropriate for different pieces of clothing.
Make sure you take care of your clothing since certain items needs certain washing temperatures and soaps. On each tag it will describe what should happen to the clothes and even if it says to dry clean, be aware that chemicals are used in place of traditional soap and water, so if you have sensitive skin then be careful.

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There are required portions for each person depending on gender, age, weight, activity level, and more factors. There are also different lifestyles and diets that people have. See vegan, vegetarian, Keto. and many many more. Each one needs specific dietary needs and has different ways to achieve these, so look into what you do and get all your macro-molecules!

But food isn't all about the nutrients, as Americans especially we attribute a lot of foods taste. This requires cooking and a clean kitchen. There should be no cords hanging all over the place as tripping or electrocution hazards. Make sure all things get cleaned in a bath of hot water and then put away so stuff doesn't fall. Any machines that are used need to be unplugged after used. Don't forget to wash your hands and don't cross contaminate fruits and veggies with any meat born pathogens.

BluePlate has many good resources about food and what all you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and active!