I did my PhD directly after my bachelors (technically I had a semester between them but close enough), and I was given a huge amount of freedom and independence

I did my PhD directly after my bachelors (technically I had a semester between them but close enough), and I was given a huge amount of freedom and independence in crafting my research topic, and my career is, by and large, indistinguishable from my colleagues who had more experience before coming in.