I've heard the phrase, "In this economy, you should be happy to have a job," many, many times, and even with those words ringing in my ears I have decided to push aside all logic, quit my job and go back to school.

The past year has been a journey down an avenue I never could have foreseen myself stumbling upon. I took an internship at a local television station, and under close supervision from the Chief Photojournalist, learned how to use a camera and edit video. He told me I had talent. He said I was the best intern he'd ever had. He became an influential man in my life, almost like a father. No one had ever invested so much in me, and I found myself flourishing. The internship became a job. Then I started dating one of the reporters, and subsequently began a social life with my coworkers.

Journalism is a misunderstood field that many dabble in but few do well. I've heard people say that everyone's a journalist. No, they are not. Not everyone has the patience and skill to connect with people and tell a great story. Not everyone has an eye for shot composition and a knack for editing. These precious skills have been diluted by Youtube and pixelated cameras on cell phones. The life of a journalist is not glamorous. Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper represent the top 1% of journalists; the rest are underpaid, overworked, graying early and budding alcoholics. For whatever reason, journalism drives people to drink like nothing else I've ever seen. The response in the newsroom after a long day full of breaking news? Let's go get a drink. I do, however, recognize the merits of journalism which have no price. There's nothing like someone calling you to tell you that you did a great job on a story. There's nothing like being on the scene of breaking news. There's nothing like cutting to the front of the line because you're the media. People are journalists because they believe in it, not because they want to earn money or embark on a stress-free career. In its purest form, journalism is a beautiful, gritty art that is being swallowed whole by shrinking revenue and disinterested young people.

After spending a year in the field, I've decided to quit my job and become a nurse. They may seem like two completely opposite fields, but upon further review, they posses many similarities. For instance, both require communication skills. Both have the power to impact people's lives. I know I can never work in a cubicle. I know I must be doing something different every day or my mind will atrophy, and I've always been interested in medicine. Not to mention the fact that nurses make a decent living. Money isn't everything, but it's a lot of things, and I've learned that from living on my own. Between rent, food, and gas, I barely have money left over each month. At some point, I'd like to move out of the basement I'm currently living in. I'd like to be able to afford a car when I need to replace mine without having to starve for three months. I'd like health insurance, too. I would like paid vacations. I would like mobility at my job. I don't regret working in TV, but for me I see very little opportunity to move up. It's been a great experience, but I know there's a reason I've been put on this planet. It's time to find that reason.

Am I scared? Absolutely.