Twitch, a couple things to note; you are doing what you enjoy and that says a lot and can be much more important than income earnings.

Like you, I put myself through undergraduate school without any help from loans, family or scholarships and yet, feel I'm better off for it because if forced me to prioritize my life and develop a good work ethic working nights/weekends and during the summer in AK. It paid off because a few years later, my employer offered to pay my way through graduate school. That was also a sacrifice because I was working full time, raising a family, and attending full/part time grad school. But it certainly paid off.

The great thing about starting early is you don't have to start with large amounts of cash. But by consistently adding small amounts over a long period of time, the accrual and interest will definitely add up.