In middle school I heard a fan theory that Neo had powers over the real world because it was a second layer of the matrix-- the idea of simulations inside simulations was enough for me to come to Bostrom's simulation argument.

Also during the same years I ended up doing an over the top version of comfort zone expansion by being really silly publicly.

In high school I think I basically argued a crude version of compatibilism before learning the term, although my memory of the conversation is a bit vague