You don't get a choice in the matter until you do. We spend most of our young adult life in school, and then one day we leave. We're institutionalized, and have little choice in the matter. Public schools seem to fill our brains like jars instead of lighting a fire for self knowledge.
Once we leave school life begins. We get to pick. We have the say of what we spend our time doing. We dictate where we go. Obviously reality pushes back. I've worked in restaurants for years, because I studied the arts. Arts degrees don't give you too many options at stable jobs.
In the post school world, you don't have a handful of teachers. The teachers are limitless. Even the environment can be teacher. Wim Hof said, "The cold is my only teacher". You can learn from the barista when you buy a cup of coffee. You can learn from the Mexican dish pit kid. You can learn from the old alcoholic that sits at your bar for hours on end. You can learn from the young man that blames the world for his shortcomings.
In your school days you have periods. The first period is your home room. Then you mix and match. You take math in the morning. You take English in the evening. Somewhere in the day lunch happens. In your post school days you pick your periods. You decide who you want to be. It's a much tougher school. The school of life asks the question, "What is your purpose?"
This causes many despair. Don't despair. Stick around for a while, and if you were paying attention (and taking notes) things become clear. Life can be dreadfully cold, but cold can be your greatest teacher. Stick around for a while, and you'll see. Life is a grand school, and you get to pick your studies.