I lived on the top of one hill and the school was at the top of another hill. Nobody ever went to school by car - we didn't have any cars during the war. So that to and from school was itself a training.
Some of the most amazing human beings on the face of the planet go to sci-fi conventions, although I'm sure a few of them wouldn't admit it.
My parents armed me with an amazing sense of humor, and it's what you need when, well, it's what anyone needs in this world.