Figuring out what one wants makes a lot of sense, but I haven't seen an undergrad college education as a good context to do that. Most kids I know who did that

Figuring out what one wants makes a lot of sense, but I haven't seen an undergrad college education as a good context to do that. Most kids I know who did that came out with a squishy education, without real depth or substance. At the same time, an undergrad class looks nothing like real life. Working in different contexts -- jobs, internships, volunteering, etc. -- has tended to work a lot better for that -- especially when the job is structured as a learning experience and not a profit-maximizing one. For me, travel was magical for figuring out who I wanted to be, but I wasn't doing tourism. You have a lot more freedom to explore as a Ph.D than an undergrad too: - No timeline - You're not paying $40k per year, but getting a stipend - Few fixed requirements