Michael,
I think I speak for everyone here when I say stay away from aviation for the foreseeable future. Go to Uni, get a degree in something else like computer science or finance. Cathay will not be hiring for a while and the airline industry as we know it will never be the same. Unlike many of us in the airline industry, you have a chance to go into a career which may still be highly lucrative...being a pilot is not one of them unfortunately. Good luck with your studies!