--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 17, I was going to go to…" description: "\"When I was 17, I was going to go to college because I couldn't get a movie.\" — Stephen Dorff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-dorff-13120_because_when-i-was-17-i-was-going-to-go-to-colle_581918.jpg" --- # When I was 17, I was going to go to college because I… ![“When I was 17, I was going to go to college because I couldn't get a movie.” quote by Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-dorff-13120_because_when-i-was-17-i-was-going-to-go-to-colle_581918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-dorff-13120_because_when-i-was-17-i-was-going-to-go-to-colle_581918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c53/stephen-dorff-13120_because_when-i-was-17-i-was-going-to-go-to-colle_581918.jpg) > “When I was 17, I was going to go to college because I couldn't get a movie.” [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He missed a movie and chose college, showing a pivot from disappointment to opportunity. **In simple terms:** Choosing college after a missed movie. Key Takeaway Turn setbacks into new paths. Themes resilience choice growth Mood reflective optimistic Type personal motivational When to use this quote - high school disappointment - college enrollment - career planning Key Concepts career decisions personal development Questions to Reflect On - What alternative paths could you have considered? - How do you decide when to pivot? A Different Perspective May overlook other viable options beyond college. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [I said '17 - right now, this year, "'17 is going to be a disaster." 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It's like, well, they're deleted because they're not good or you lost the battle and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/deleted-scenes-are-like-in-a-middle-gray-zone-it-s-like-well-they-re/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) ## More by Stephen Dorff > [I find that dialogue is bad in most scripts. I just think there are very few writers that can capture the natural way people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/i-find-that-dialogue-is-bad-in-most-scripts-i-just-think-there-are/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I've mainly been in dramas, so this is one of my first comedy kind of performances in Cecil B. Demented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/i-ve-mainly-been-in-dramas-so-this-is-one-of-my-first-comedy-kind-of/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I'm used to having big movie cameras in my face, I pretend that they're not there. But I actually like being on my own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/i-m-used-to-having-big-movie-cameras-in-my-face-i-pretend-that-they/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I used to play around and sing Randy Travis for my dad. 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I'm more interested in that stuff than I am Bill Clinton. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/nuclear-arms-is-pretty-scary-because-that-could-end-the-world-i-m/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [In my early 20s, I was buying Kristofferson records. I loved his acting; then I found out all the songs he wrote. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/in-my-early-20s-i-was-buying-kristofferson-records-i-loved-his-acting/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [Yes, I definitely plan to direct at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dorff/yes-i-definitely-plan-to-direct-at-some-point/) [Stephen Dorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dorff/) > [I think acting is only one part of the piece of the movie. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. 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