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Tips for Finding Your College Fit
College is a big decision. You have all the tools you need to make it the best experience possible, but the research you do now is crucial. Since there is so much to think about, use these tips to help you choose the program that’s right for you.

Case Study of the Week: The Perks of Opening a Franchise
Step into the role of a small business consultant. A client wants to start a business and has asked you for information about franchises.

Corporate Challenges: What They Entail and Why Members Should Participate
Seven of DECA’s corporate partners are offering Corporate Challenges for our High School Division members! In this article, learn more about our Corporate Challenges, links to get more information, what they each entail and important dates.

Celebrating Spooky Season: DECA Style
Autumn vibes are officially in the air, which means it is time for some Halloween-themed chapter events! Here are some scary good tricks to treat your chapter this Halloween.

Canva Craftsmanship: Elevate Your DECA Designs
Canva has become an essential companion for many seeking to enhance their digital presence and pursuits. Dive into the realm of creativity and impact with these 5 ways to use Canva for your DECA designs!

Build your Brand at The Ultimate DECA Power Trip
The Ultimate DECA Power Trip in Austin, Texas, is just around the corner. Now is the time to build your brand and boost your networking skills!

Aligning Fundraising with Your Community’s Events
Aligning fundraising with your community's events can be a strategic way to raise funds while fostering a sense of togetherness and support among community members. Here are some steps to align fundraising with your community’s events effectively.

Case Study of the Week: Preventing Identity Theft
Step into the role of a financial resource consultant. Your young client is nervous about identity theft and has asked you how identity thieves obtain personal information to steal identities, actions the client can take to protect their personal information and steps to take to safely manage finances using mobile technology.

Scholarship Applications 101
As you begin your scholarship profile and applications, it’s important to remember application requirements, important information and tips for submissions. Scholarships are due January 12, 2024!

Case Study of the Week: Risks vs Benefits of Drive-thrus
Step into the role of the director of operations for Shake-A-Palooza, a chain of quick service restaurants. The president of Shake-A-Palooza wants to understand how adding drive-thrus to the 20 new locations could benefit the location, sales and the customers.

Top 5 Tips for Prepared Events
DECA's prepared events require a written project and a prepared presentation, and some require participants to take a career cluster exam. As you begin working on your prepared event for the year, check out these five tips to help you throughout the process!

2023-2024 District-Level Competitive Event Instructional Areas Announced
Get ready for competition season! Each year DECA provides the primary instructional area(s) assessed in each of the district-level scenarios to help advisors and members prepare for district competitions more effectively.

DECA Direct Magazine: De-stress
Between school, volunteering, extracurricular activities and DECA, there’s never a shortage of things to do! Learn how to hit pause, slow down and discover the best ways to manage your stress.

5 Apps to Ease Your Stress
Looking to beat bad stress? Rather than endlessly scrolling through Instagram or stress-shopping on Amazon, turn to these apps to breathe, play and move your way to less stress!

Build Better Habits (and Break Your Bad Ones!)
Having the right habits is more important than ever as you navigate a busy school year. Read on to learn how you can create better habits in any area of your life, plus our tips and tricks for getting rid of your bad habits for good!

Mindfulness Your Way
You may have heard about mindfulness in one of your classes, and perhaps you’ve even tried meditating a time or two. For many people, meditation and other mindfulness practices are a go-to source for stress relief, getting in the zone before a role-play or resetting emotions after encountering an upsetting situation.

De-stress for Success
Life will always throw challenges your way, but the biggest challenges present opportunities for the greatest rewards. So, what’s the best way to manage stress? While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, here are some of the ways that work best for me.

Stress to Success: How to Use "Good Stress" to Succeed in Competition
Stress is often perceived as a negative experience, but the right kind of stress can actually fuel your success in competition and beyond. Read on to learn about "good stress", how to distinguish it from the bad and ways you can harness it to take your competitive edge to the next level!

Work Out the Stress
Today’s teens pack a lot into their busy schedules, which has caused stress levels and anxiety to increase in recent years. D’Andre Vasquez, DECA’s 2019-2020 High School Division President, discusses how he handles the stress in his life and how you can too!

How to Fight Off Zoom Fatigue
Whether it’s trying to combat Zoom fatigue or attempting to deal with the strain and stress that comes from staring at a screen all day, here are three tips to help you de-stress in an age of virtual living.

Take the Stress Out of DECA Scholarship Applications
Each year, DECA awards over $200,000 in scholarships to deserving high school and college members. Here are five tips to help take the stress out of applying for DECA scholarships.

5 Tips to Take Your Productivity to the #NextLevel
Schoolwork, volunteering, extracurricular activities, DECA... can you really do it all without endless all-nighters? We think so! Check out five of our favorite ways to level-up your schedules, to-do lists and priorities for peak productivity.

Managing Stress as a Small Business Owner
After six years as a small business owner and entrepreneur, I’ve adapted a few habits and philosophies that have helped me along the way. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Good Stress, Bad Stress: Find Your Sweet Spot
We all experience stress on a daily basis, but the amount we experience depends on how well we cope with the various stressors in our lives. Here are a few tips to help you identify good versus bad stress and find the perfect balance.