Prime

On my most recent trip to New York, my primary travel lens--the Nikon 18-70mm f3.5-4.5--decided to stop working properly.  My initial prognosis of this is there is some sand (from the beach firework shooting) stuck inside the gears preventing it from zooming in and out past the 24-45mm range. I'm not too bummed about it though because if one of my lenses were to break, I would have preferred it to be this one.  It is also the cheapest lens that I have (at least in terms of the amount of money I spent to buy it).

So without a zoom lens now, I am limited to shooting with either the Tokina 11-16mm (okay, technically a zoom lens...but it's too much of a specialty lens), the Nikon 50mm f2.8 or the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro.  No longer are my prime lenses used only for portraits or my super-wide angle lens used only for landscape and architecture.  In a way I kind of like this because I am now forced to take photographs with a limited focal length--allowing me to explore new compositions and angles that I normally wouldn't have done with the convenience of a zoom lens.  I find myself to be the kind of person that tends to try to capture the whole object or the big picture instead of zooming in and being more detailed oriented and just capturing the necessary components to convey the image.  This will help me with dealing with that.  I'm not too stoked about not having a normal range zoom lens because I hate having to back up 20 feet just to take a group shot because I only have my 50mm prime.

Another advantage for having my 18-70mm die on me is that this now opens to door for me to get a new lens.  I am debating whether or not to get the DX superzooms such as the 18-105mm/18-200mm or the FX superzoom 28-300mm because I have no telephoto lenses beyond 100mm. Or if I would be better off getting a shorter range zoom constant aperture lens such as the 17-55mm f2.8/24-70mm f2.8.  I have been trying to lean towards FX lenses as I prepare to jump to full frame whenever I graduate and get a job, but I'm wondering if I should just wait until then or get a lens to fill the gaps.

Lenses I am considering to fill the gaps(prices are for new items...I will most likely try to buy used and for cheaper):
Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 VR ($650)
Nikon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR ($800)
Nikon 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 VR ($350)

Lenses I am considering for full frame:
Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 VR ($900)
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 ($1650)
Nikon 24-120mm f4 VR ($1130)

So who wants to donate some money?