You've gotten good advice here.

My personal opinion: I probably wouldn't aim for being a career airline pilot If I got to do it again. I'd fly for fun and get a good technical degree.

The worst part to me:
There is NO lateral movement among seniority-based companies. IE: If you are 121 and lose your job, you start ALLL over again at the bottom if you keep with 121.

It was very humbling and scary to watch laid off pilots from major airlines with 10,000+ hours interview with me at a regional for a 24,000/yr. job.

Disclaimer: I went 135 in the end, not 121.