I had (not trying to brag here) excellent grades in high school, upper level classes, and participation in scholastic societies in high school. I probably could have gotten into any school I wanted. But all of that meant squat, because I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what to do with my life. I literally had emotional breakdowns over it. Everyone was presuring me to figure out what to do with myself, but I never had the chance to figure out what career could make me happy. So I went to a Community College (which is basically a low-key college that costs less money, and prepares you to transfer to a 4 year University) to just take some classes and find one that clicked.
Funny story, the thing that set me on my course in life was actually a TV show. I happened to watch the American show Mad Men (a historical drama about an advertising agency in the 60s), and watching them design adds and think up cool art to go with it gave me the revelation that I wanted to be in advertising. But after a year of taking classes, I realized it was the making of the adds itself that called to me, not the marketing part, so I settled on my calling in life: Graphic Design. I am behind everyone else now, needing to stay a year longer than planned, but at least I've got it figured out, which just feels like such a relief! And it feels like all my life little signs have been leading up to this choice, like it was what I was meant to do, but just didn't realize it yet. I am loving my major so far, and couldn't be happier!