noaches232,
If you as bright a young person as you sound, you will already have realised that the processes described by G take a long time so patience is probably a valuable asset!
Beg flights if you can (you'll enjoy it and start to get comfortable in the air). I was going to offer a trip (nothing exciting, I'm not a TP but have some modest involvement with them as an engineer) but I see you seem to be in Canada. I think a lot of us here are in the UK. Are you asking on other sites?
Good luck and remember to enjoy it.
Oh and he is too modest to say it but read Mr Farley's book. Also everything you can by Eric Brown.
Joe