It is strange, I like how my skate career turned out so I wouldn't want to change things too much.
But, I've certainly learned that the "cool" kids aren't all that cool. When I was 18, trying to be part of the crew didn't help me any when it came to going to school, getting a decent job, or even maintaining a spot in skateboarding. The "cool" kids burned out quickly. Shit, out of that whole group of "cool" kids there is only one other guy who is still a part of the scene.
Also, trying to get a job in the skateboard industry isn't worth it. The idea of working around skateboarding sounds fun, but the industry guys are often just complete garbage and the pay usually sucks.
Finally, just because pro skaters are good at skateboarding, it doesn't mean they are interesting/good people.