Education Motivation

I was recently pondering over my life's course since high school; looking at the choices I made at the time, verses the goals I had then, verses what I know now and my current goals in life. I graduated high school and went straight into college, though I don't know why. Looking back I never really considered an alternative like taking a year off, or working for a while, or just forgoing college all together. I went because that's what middle class kids do.
Looking back even further,  I cared hard about my grades in high school they were my gateway to college, sadly though, I cared a lot less about absorbing what was taught. This is a lot more often the case than we care to admit.
I remember that going into high school, I knew wanted to be a marine biologist, study dolphins on a boat in the oceans. That all changed in the first year. I simultaneously had my interest in biology quashed by my boring freshman biology class, and had my interest in technical theatre careers peaked by the extensive work I did for out high school shows. So I decided I would do that with my life instead.
Undergrad only served to narrow my career path to lighting design.

In retrospect I can't remember making a conscious decision, they were simply paths I fell into. I end up wishing I hadn't been allowed to choose so early. I feel like some wandering would have provided insight into a path towards happiness,  or at least opened my world view beyond the narrow range of a high school kid from a small town. I think its devastating that young people are so often asked, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"