Accomplishment As Artwork

Parents, if you’re already reeling from the costs of today’s college education, take a deep breath. According to one expert, if your kids lack conflict resolution skills, it could end up costing you even more.

“Students who can’t handle conflict run into trouble with roommates almost immediately,” said Susan Fee who is the author of My Roommate is Driving Me Crazy! Solve Conflicts, Set Boundaries, and Survive the College Roommate From Hell (Adams Media, 2005). “They avoid the issue rather than deal it, causing increased stress, lower grades, and additional moving and housing expenses,” said Fee, who is a licensed professional counselor. She said students who focus only on academic success do so at the expense of other life skills.

“Some students have spent so much time studying and fitting in extracurricular activities that they never develop necessary social skills. Well-intentioned parents have become overly-involved in their kids’ lives, planning their time, and solving their dilemmas. By the time these kids enter college, they have no confidence in speaking up for themselves,” said Fee.

Another factor leading to trouble adjusting is a sense of entitlement. “It’s not uncommon for students to come from homes where they had their own bedroom, bathroom, and TV,” said Fee. “They have unreasonable expectations about having things their way.”

The bottom line for parents: Children’s poor communication skills can hurt your wallet. Kids who can’t get along with their roommates request single dorm rooms, which are not only more costly, but usually unavailable. Others move off-campus, transfer to another school, or return home. Grades can be affected by the stress causing some students to repeat entire semesters. “The ultimate solution is for students to learn how to resolve their roommate differences rather than find ways to avoid them,” said Fee.

She offers these five tips to parents:

1. Offer suggestions, not solutions. Telling your child what to do, or worse, handling the problem yourself, does more harm than good. Conflict resolution is a skill that needs to be practiced and the more you do for your kids, the longer it will take them to become confident. Instead, help them become critical thinkers by imagining scenarios, brainstorming solutions, and considering possible outcomes and consequences.

2. Prepare for conflict. Students who assume things will be “perfect” get thrown for a loop when they’re not. Conflict is inevitable because people are different. Even best friends should expect to have differences in needs, living habits, stress levels, and communication skills. Teach your child that conflict does not have to be negative; it’s an opportunity to be creative and learn how to problem solve.

3. Share expectations. Roommate contracts are popular today and many universities require them as a way to get kids talking about their expectations. Even if your child’s school does not have formal contracts, encourage him to discuss things like sleep and study habits, bills, sharing items, cleaning, and the best times to have visitors. Just like pre-marital counseling, the more that’s discussed upfront, the better the relationship.

4. Encourage face-to-face conversations. More and more, kids today would rather communicate through e-mail, IM, and text messaging rather than talking face-to-face. Without the benefit of facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language, messages can be misunderstood. Also, warn kids that gossiping to others instead of talking to their roommate directly only escalates the problem.

5. Ask for help. Residence life staff will help to mediate, as long as the student has already tried problem solving face-to-face. (In reality, most students wait to mention there’s a problem until they want to move out, or at the first sign of trouble, they report it to their RA expecting that person to solve it.) Campus counseling centers are also available for help if a roommate is exhibiting signs of mental illness such as depression, substance abuse, or cutting. If nothing else, a counseling session can help your child learn to better deal with stress and find other ways to manage the situation.

Susan Fee is a licensed counselor and author of, “My Roommate Is Driving Me Crazy! Solve Conflicts, Set Boundaries, and Survive the College Roommate from Hell” (Adams Media). She offers more college survival tips on her site, http://www.myroommateisdrivingmecrazy.com

Although desirable, digital cameras are not fully functional for an advanced photographer. Photographers select their lenses according to need, with each lens having a special use. For the most part, the advance digital photo trainings include the utilization of lenses.

For now, we will focus on landscape photographs. To ensure your landscape photograph is clear, you need to use the proper lens. You need to determine the proper lens for shooting landscapes. Focal lengths that are commonly used range between 20mm and 35mm. Many people would rather use a 24mm set at f11 when photographing trees at the altitudes because it focuses mainly on the subject and includes everything that will produce desirable effects.

No one set of principles governs how to take digital pictures. The quality of your photographs will correspond with your experience and the effort you put into capturing them. If you do not know about capabilities of your camera’s lens when it is in your hands, then go out and find it out. Try out the lens to see the maximum width and how much area can be covered. If the camera you use is not good quality, the pictures you take will have no depth, which is where the lens can enhance a photograph.. To take a landscape photograph, try using a 20mm.

Examine your photographs; compare them to the others you have taken. Keep in mind the lens you are using, your position and your subject’s position. Make sure you concentrate on all of these factors. It is also wise to compare the photos as to draw a separation between those that are bad, good and great.

Fashion design vocational schools teach the fundamentals of fashion design in two-year programs. An Associate of Arts degree or a certificate in the field of fashion may be earned in these schools. Some industry leaders consider schools that provide vocational training superior to the training one would receive in a four year college, because they have a closer relationship to the garment industry.

The majority of vocational schools offer two-tiered certificate programs that accompany an Associate of Arts degree. A fast start in the profession is available with a first level qualification. This short certificate prepares recipients for employment as Design Room Assistants. Employment as an assistant in a busy design room brings to the employee an exciting assortment of tasks and duties.

Although more time is required to complete a second-level proficiency certificate, these applicants have a better chance of being selected for a position as an Assistant Designer. The job of an assistant designer typically involves drafting flat sketches of garments, and including necessary details for manufacture. Knowledge of fabric construction and an ability to order fabric and trims is essential. Since they will be called on to complete many jobs around the design room, they must be highly flexible individuals, as well as responsible.

There’s never been any graffiti on any of his work - even in
high schools, universities, or inner-cities.

Since 1988, Larry Cannon of Brick Sculpture by Cannon, Inc.
(www.bricksculpture.com) has been helping groups raise funds
with memorial bricks. He’s worked with hundreds of groups and
helped raise millions of dollars. He’s unique in the length of
his business - 16 years now - and in the beauty of his finished
work. Larry isn’t just a brick engraver, he’s a brick artist. He
relies on fundraising projects to make money, but his heart is
in the 6 foot brick logos or murals or pictures that are often
the centerpieces of his work - each engraved by him, often
glazed or painted to enhance the art.

Apparently this is appreciated, because in the hundreds of
projects he’s done, there’s been no graffiti and only 1 case of
vandalism…done on a local memorial to homicide victims.

Fundraising with memorial bricks is an easy way to raise funds.
You simply pick a project, have a group of donors buy a brick,
order the bricks and have them installed. It’s not that hard.

But what about later? What’s it like long after the funds are
raised and spent? How does the city or school like yesterday’s
fundraising project years down the road?

We asked Larry about problems, since he’s been in the industry
so long. He’s seen the problems and good points.

He thought awhile and responded that there don’t seem to be too
many problems…maybe keeping it clean. Algae can grow on it,
depending on the location. And it occasionally should be
pressure cleaned. Then there are only so many bricks that can be
added. Donors often become interested when they see the brick
walkway or wall….and then it may be too late to add them.

So we asked if there’s some benefit to the project years later.
It turns out that there is something. Donors have a sense of
ownership long after the fundraising project is over. It gives
donors a sense of belonging to the school or group that lasts
for years, and a sense of ownership that belongs to their family
and friends. “There’s my grandfather’s brick”. After all, what
else can you do that will last longer than your lifetime?

Earning your advanced nursing degree has many advantages, and earning it online can have more. While all educational choices have pros and cons, the advantages of an online nursing master’s degree allow you to continue your education and your life with fewer interruptions than may occur through a traditional learning setting.

Online Learning

Online learning is becoming more and more accepted by educational institutions and employers alike. Some people who are considering an online degree may fear that the quality of education will be less than that through a traditional classroom setting. However, this simply is not the case. When you research your program, and choose a quality, accredited school, you will find that the educational requirements are just as stringent (if not more so) than through other means of obtaining your degree.

The acceptance of online learning as a valuable option is apparent in the number of traditional schools that now offer online options. Many that do not currently offer online courses are in the process of development.

Flexibility

Perhaps the advantages of an online nursing master’s degree are most obvious in the flexibility offered by this type of program. Many people who are ready to pursue an advanced degree have been in the workforce for a number of years. With an online degree, you do not have to interrupt your career in order to go to school. The advantages of an online nursing master’s degree include the ability to continue working and meet family obligations. Further, if you are interested in a particular school, an online program may allow you to attend that school no matter where you live.

Options

Additional advantages of an online nursing master’s degree are the wide ranges of programs available. The ability to specialize with a master’s in nursing is greater than ever. Whatever your interests and career direction, you can find an online nursing master’s program to support your goals. Some examples of options include public health, education, and leadership and management.