One thing some college-bound teens are doing is taking a year off. They save up in highschool and let the college know it'll be a year delay before they enter. Then they spend that year backpacking through Europe, doing a missionary trip, or whatever. The time is used to learn, travel, mature, and get their fill of fun and adventure. Google "gap year". Example:
SunJournal.com - More teens take pre-college 'gap year'
Or go to college somewhere really "fun". If money was no object, where would be a cool place to study? Specialty college... or a school in the heart of London or Amsterdam.... or an un-traditional college such a studying aboard a ship? College doesn't have to be drudgery or a boring local state university.