I've lived in Alaska my entire life. My parents first moved to Kodiak Island when I was only six weeks old, and I've spent a total of 17 years wandering in the woods, sailing the coastal waters with my family, and finding my bearings in the world as I grow into a young man. As I begin my Senior year of high school, the time has finally come for me to ponder my future as an adult and what it may hold in store.

Kodiak to me has always been a magical place. Having the ability to walk across the street and be in the middle of a forest, with trees so tall you can barely make out their tops in the canopy, would be special to anyone. And it is. If you ask anyone who has been to Alaska what their favorite aspect was, it will almost always be the open landscapes and abundant wildlife. After all, there is a reason people refer to Kodiak as an "Emerald Isle".

But over time, that magic has slowly faded. Running around in nature is all well and good, but life can hit like a brick to the forehead if you remain unwary.

For those that don't know, Alaska's economy is a three legged stool; its main revenues being the oil industry, fishing and seafood processing, and mining. With all of Alaska's 740,000 inhabitants propped up in one way or another by this stool, when one leg goes, it will most definitely send peoples lives teetering and sliding toward the edge.

Alaska is already known for its higher than average cost of living. Anchorage itself is $143 per week compared to the United States average of $100. People move here under the illusion that many are entranced by, only to find living to be an impossibility.

The cost of living in Alaska is supplemented in theory by the Permanent Fund Dividend, an annual payout to all of its citizens that ranges from $1,500 to $2,500 based on a three year market average. The problem is, that too is going away.

A recently announced $1.29 billion budget cut to everything from K-12 education, to Universities and transportation, has also included capping the dividend at $1,000. People dependent on the dividend for raising children and putting food on the table will find themselves in a difficult position.

This budget cut also draws attention to the state's $3.5 billion deficit. Once renowned for its massive oil production, Alaska is slowly but surely drying up. Even worse, rampant over-fishing is dropping populations of King crab and Pacific salmon to near collapse. The three legged stool is slowly leaning over, making the future of Alaska's economy very uncertain.

Unfortunately, this uncertainty is driving me and many others to find somewhere with more money and a better future. While things may eventually stabilize, I won't be perusing higher education or a career in Alaska. Hopefully I've dodged that brick.