Dear Rachel,
I think my parents read too much. I've been working in media for two years now and know it's what I want to do. But my parents, who live far away, want me to return home to go to law school. It's been their plan for me for years, since both are lawyers themselves. They argue that from what they read that the media business is in turmoil and will be for years to come. I'm not sure that's so, but in any case, I don't want to go to law school, as much as I want to please my parents. Your counsel? -- Happy where I am

Dear Happy,
Stay happy and stay in media.

Yes, there is turmoil--where is there not these days?--but media is still a fascinating business, and all indications are that it's only going to get more so.

You could go to law school and return to media when you get your degree, pleasing your parents at one level but still having the career you wanted. You could humor them in that regard by pretending to believe your law degree is a backup in the event the media industry does somehow collapse.

The downside of that is that you will have missed three years, and in three years media planning and buying will be a very different business.

But actually you'll have missed even more.

Let's do the math. You've already spent two years learning the basics of media. Add on three more for law school. Then toss in another two years for the time it will take you to get back to where you are now, assuming that media will have changed so much that you will have to start from the beginning.

That's five years wasted. Do you want to waste five years of your life to please your parents?

I don't think so, and I'm sure you don't either.

Here's my advice. Tell them right out that you like media, that you want to stay in it, and that as much as you want to make them happy that you do not intend to spend three years in law school to do so. You don’t want to be a lawyer, period.

Be very nice about it, as I'm sure you will be. But be very firm. You need to put an end to this discussion.

You are a young woman in your early twenties, as best I can guess from your note. You’re old enough to stake out your own life. And if media should somehow sour for you, you can then decide what you want to do.

Also, you might do some research on the legal business.

Yes, years ago it was considered a safe career, but a lot of that has changed. For some time now, there's been a surge in law school graduates, such that we now have too many lawyers. Sole practitioners especially have to scramble just to make a living in some cases.

The reality is that there is nothing that's truly secure in this world.

Good luck.