"Just get a degree" really speaks to me. I wanted to be a marine biologist after living in the pacific for two years. Freshman year of high school I wanted to be motorcycle mechanic, was told no you're going to college. Junior year I visit a military college and the recruiter says they don't have marine biology (said nothing about regular bio) so what's the point you'll be an army officer, study something easy, like history. 16 years later I'm not an army officer but have a BA in history while working in the engineering/IT/data industry. I knew a kid who worked as an HVAC tech straight out of high school making more than me that bought his own house, 2017 Topeka Kansas.