#1 INTRODUCTION

    My name is Cara Veenstra, and I am from the very small town of Tracy, Iowa. I grew up on a farm and spent most of my time outdoors. I have one sister who is 8 years older than me and no brothers. My parents were both teachers for most of my life, but are now full-time missionaries in Abaco, Bahamas. My sister and brother-in-law live about an hour from Judson with my two nephews. I visit them as often as I can. I went to a Christian Grade School and High School in Pella, Iowa. I was involved in choir and band, as well as various sports. I played volleyball and ran track in High School. I still play volleyball here at Judson. 

    I first started thinking about Interior Design as a career when we had a career fair at my high school, during my sophomore year. An interior designer from my town spoke to us about what she did and showed us some of her projects. I thought it looked so fun, and I loved being able to see the before and after pictures. I thought it would be so cool to be able to transform a space to make it more beautiful and functional. I also thought it would be a way to use my creativity in my career. I chose interior design to write my career research paper on and have been pursuing the career ever since. I have loved learning more about the industry and how I can be a part of it in the future. I have learned more about the commercial side of the industry, but I believe I would still enjoy doing residential projects. I would like to help design and remodel people's homes in the future. I think I would enjoy getting to know clients and being able to create spaces that they will be able to use and enjoy. 

    I have taken many online courses before this one. I find that I am most successful when I write down the weekly schedule and due dates each week. This helps me stay on top of my homework and make sure I'm completing my homework on time, despite not getting reminders in person. I also think it is important for me to create a routine, so that I can complete weekly assignments at the same time each week and not forget about them. I think that if I do these things in this class and comunicate with my professor, I will be able to be successful.