Yeah, just get the degree in something that interests you other than aviation. You may have to do 'something' to make yourself hirable if you decide to use it a few years down the road but it's probably going to be lot less of a hassle that starting without the degree at all.

As far as the reference to someone hiring a furloughed pilot, there are other reasons to need to use that degree someday. Like health issues, family responsibilities, or simply finding that the dream flying job isn't really what you thought it was going to be.

The fact that nobody in aviation cares what your degree is in, or where you got it as long as it's accredited, really is all you need to know to NOT get an aviation degree.