Remember that academia is all very well but there is whole world outside those ivory towers. If you are not fully whole hog on the process consider that in the UK at least plumbers and electricians earn much more than most graduates, work when they like and live where they like. Many I know have a yacht in Newquay or a villa in Algarve or spend their holidays digging wells in Malawi. There is a case for learning a trade and you will be set up for life. I rather suspect that Artificial Intelligence will do away with most white collar jobs by the time most young people will be developing their careers but we will always need plumbers and sparkies.

You can always do a part-time degree or higher degree later.