Moving out on my own. Exposure to a wide variety of food, drink and people. Teacher didn't care to know you, your name, your skills, your strengths, or your weaknesses. Chef Instructors were poor Teachers. Too much production, not enough focused on learning what you were cooking.
School is for learning, work is for production.
Luckily, today there are many choices. It really opened up my eyes and mind to the options available. Education makes you a good Chef. Start eating different foods. Start exploring the grocery store.