Article: If you're considering a career in fashion design, it's never to early to start exploring your interests and gaining experience. You can even begin your fashion design education in high school, taking relevant coursework that can help you get a head start on your college education. Because designs often start as drawings/sketches, it would be useful to take any art classes your school offers. Many high schools now offer computer-aided design (CAD) classes. Fashion designers use CAD programs to create fashion designs, so hands-on experience with CAD is essential. Get good grades in high school. Doing well in high school will give you a better chance of being accepted to (and getting a scholarship at) the college of your choice. Most people working in fashion design earn their bachelor's degree in either fashion design or fashion marketing, depending on which aspect of fashion you want to focus on. Both degrees can lead towards a career in fashion design, though the latter will also give you some insight into the business and marketing side of fashion. Look for programs in fashion design/marketing in your area by searching online. Make sure your school is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD puts colleges through a rigorous peer-review process to check for standards of education before accreditation is granted. You can search for accredited programs directly through the NASAD website by searching for the college's name, the program (fashion design), or by city/state. Though internships are not necessarily a requirement for employment, working an internship can help you gain valuable experience in the industry. You'll also get your foot in the door, making contacts who can offer you a recommendation or may even find full-time work for you after graduation. Internships can give you the freedom to explore different aspects of fashion design while you're still in school. This can help you know what type of work you want to look for after you graduate. Some colleges have internship programs with coordinators who can help arrange an internship for you. If your school does not offer internships, you can find fashion design opportunities by searching online for fashion internships in your area. Some fashion design programs organize their own student design contests. Others can put you in touch with a local student design contest in your area. These opportunities allow you to design and/or create articles of clothing that will then be judged as part of a competition. Even if you don't win the design contest, it's still a great way to build your portfolio. Every contest you enter allows you to compile more designs and/or creations that you can then include with your resume when you apply to jobs. You can find student competitions by searching online, or by looking through fashion design websites for upcoming opportunities. After four years, you will graduate with a bachelor's degree in fashion design. It's important to make the most of your college years by working internships, entering contests, and building up your portfolio so that you have supporting materials to use when applying to jobs. Save all the projects you put together for classes, internships, contests. These can go into your portfolio to highlight your education and work experience. Ask your professors and internship leaders about naming them as references during your job hunt.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take relevant high school classes. Apply to a college program. Work an internship. Enter contests while you're in school. Graduate with a bachelor's degree.
Article: The chemicals in many antibacterial sprays, furniture polishes, and cleaning wipes can irritate your skin and nails. When shopping for cleaning products, choose natural or non-irritating formulas. Avoid products with ammonia, hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, or lye. If you find yourself biting or tearing at your nails, then this is a likely cause of at least some of the damage. Make a decision to end these behaviors and follow through by coating your nails in an unpleasant taste, such as lemon juice. There are also nail polishes that are designed to dissuade you from biting. Nail biting can happen in your sleep. To prevent this, put socks or mittens on your hands before you go to bed. If you feel as if your nail biting is crossing the line into a compulsion, talk with a mental health professional. Look for biotin pills or multivitamins in the health or medical areas of most stores. Taken daily these pills will start to strengthen your nail beds. This is a slow process, but will result in nails that can withstand rougher treatment without breaking or tearing. Expect to take biotin for at least 4-6 months. Make sure that your diet contains many foods with the vitamins A, B, C, and E. These vitamins will help to build up your nails and cuticles. Foods, such as olive oil and eggs, or a good multivitamin can give you these nutrients. Also, make sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration and brittle nail beds an dry cuticles. The main ingredient in most nail polish removers, acetone, can easily eat through your nail beds if not used properly. Only apply the minimum amount needed when removing your polish and place the remover on a cotton swab, not directly on your nail. If your nails are damaged, then it is a good idea to go to a professional for any polishing or new nail applications. Tell the technician about the problems that you've been having and ask for their treatment suggestions. If offered, go for hand massage as well as it will increase blood flow to the area and stimulate healing. A hand and nail massage with coconut oil, or any oil, is even better as it moisturizes the nail bed. New nail growth takes anywhere from 3-6 months. So, expect to wait that long until you see clear improvements with your nails. Resist the urge to speed up the process by trying out aggressive treatments, as they may cause more harm than good.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Use gentler cleaning products. Take steps to end picking, tearing, or biting. Take a biotin supplement. Eat right and drink lots of water. Be gentle when switching polishes. See a manicurist. Be patient.