I can relate to that. Fresh out of college and having to move back home during the recession, my parents insisted I be delivering resumes full-time, preferably by mail and in person, rather than "dicking around" on the computer. (No comprehension of what I had studied, of course.)

Eventually I worked things out, with a dose of luck, but I can't help thinking I'd be far better off today if I'd managed to publish some personal projects during that time and networked those around to like-minded associates.