Write a book, start a company or a band, volunteer, learn to meditate or Kung foo, do whatever.<p>It&#x27;s not a question of being a kid, it&#x27;s a question of living your life as a neurosurgeon because you decided that sounded cool when you were 8, and never really rethinking it until you had a lot of debt.<p>Sure, if this is what they really want then great.  But, thinking this is a good path and they would be wasting there potential being a raft guide is terribly hollow.  Getting out of high school at 15 is cool, starting collage is not a goal just a path to something else.