I used to feel embarrassed about graduating from a trade school. But now my career is safe from AI.

Sade Slack says her job is safe from AI.

Courtesy of Sade Slack Sade Slack chose trade school over a four-year college and became a surgical technician.

She now has no student loan debt, but sometimes feels embarrassed for not attending college.

She feels secure from AI because her job depends on reading people and reacting in real time.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sade Slack, a 38-year-old surgical technician based in California.

It has been edited for length and clarity.

I entered high school with a heavy load of AP and honors classes .

My middle school grades had put me on an accelerated track, and I pushed myself hard to keep up.

By 10th grade, I was burned out .

I came home from school and slept for hours just to recover.

I obsessed over making A's.

Then the pressure started affecting how I handled tests.

I got so anxious that I began avoiding them.

Halfway through the semester, I dropped all my classes.