I'm 32, with a college degree. If I could do it all over, I'd definitely have majored in something else, gone to a cheaper school, or possibly not gone to college at all. I'm now self-employed making a good living that has nothing to do with my degree.

If I could give my 18 year old self advice it would be:

Get an education (which may or may not involve formal schooling). I've learned so much from my library, let me tell you.

Learn from the people you want to be. Your family's dysfunctional and has a broken view of the world, so I wouldn't take advice from them. Do math/science teachers really have it all? All the teachers I've talked to are talking about leaving the field.

When I started as an entrepreneur, I got doomsday messages from coworkers and family who were all miserable, pessimistic and never run a business in their lives. So I talked to successful business owners instead (people making 6 - 7 figures a year) and got their advice instead. It made a difference in my results.

Find the people who can save you YEARS of heartache. If you think you might be interested in a particular career, read everything you can on it ... and then go talk to people in that career. Would they recommend you follow their path? Why or why not? You will save yourself a lot of time and money this way.

Mentors & education (even self-education) are the best investment you will ever make, especially before you shell out tons of money for a formal degree. I'm not saying a degree is a bad idea, just that you should be very clear on your goals and that supportive mentors and self-education will help you get the most bang for your buck.