:-)
In 1981, I worked in the NYIT Computer Graphics Lab as a disk operator, paid $2.15 per hour. We were creating the field of feature film computer graphics, but of course I was just a disk operator. I had never taken any computer courses, and indeed any math beyond algebra, and my bad grades got me into NYIT, which was open admissions as far as I know.
There were 8 or so other operators, mostly computer science students from C.W. Post University which was next-door to NYIT. By being admitted to Post, studying computer science, etc., they had all of the advantages.
And there was Rogue. Rogue was a text adventure program. And we had lots of terminals to run it upon.
While I was waiting for the next operator call, I read all of the documentation on Unix and C that existed in the world. There wasn't much of it back then. I started to hack Unix. I got a job as assistant systems programmer.
The other operators played Rogue.
I eventually moved on to Pixar, and various other interesting things. Perhaps those other guys have had great rewarding careers, but I don't hear much of them.