I was a terrible student in college:
1) Had a band, and we were regulars at the off-campus hangout. We'd pull in $500-$1000 a week from gigs playing 70's and 80's rock. However, we had to spend so much time practicing that I didn't study.
2) Tried going into radiography, turned out to be a disgusting profession that paid just a bit more than McDonalds. Dropped it.
3) Went into culinary school, got my certificate, and made fancy food for a few years.
4) Went back to school and got an A.S. in Computer Aided Design. Intended to finish BS in engineering, never went back due to a job offer as a team leader at Philips/Magnavox.
5) Turned hobby of PC's into an IT career during the .com bubble
6) Got hired at present employer, been in IT hell for 15 or so years now.
My parents never gave me any encouragement, guidance, or direction as to education and my career. They both barely finished high school and nobody in their family went to college. School was treated as a "thing that holds you back from working in a factory". As a result I was all over the place, wasted a lot of time, and didn't have and set goals until later in life...at which time it's too late to achieve many of them. In effect a "jack of all trades, master of none".
Definitely not making the same mistake with my kids. I have my daughter taking college courses to become a veterinarian in her high school prep program, and I'm grooming my son to figure out what he likes to do before he turns 14 so we can start exploring possibilities.