I would really like some advice from anyone working in the industry.

I'm 28 and in the process of completing my art degree (year 2 out of 4). I want to eventually work in the gaming industry abroad (I'm not from America or Europe), specifically reaching a creative director position would be the dream, though I obviously don't expect to reach that very soon. I was told that getting a degree is important, as getting a work visa without one is extremely difficult, but frankly, I hate my school and courses. It genuinely sucks all the motivation that I have to work on things in my personal time. I tried to go to schools abroad, but it's simply too expensive, and finding a job was very difficult, especially as my portfolio needs more work and the industry in my country is very limited.

I did take courses and work here and there in stuff related with videos, animation, and 3D work, but for a variety of reasons I don't have a lot of this work in my portfolio, meaning my portfolio needs to be made up almost entirely of personal projects, or stuff that I do in school, which so far I don't think is good enough to show off.

I really want to just leave and focus more on building a strong portfolio instead, take half a year to make some strong stuff and show it off, but I don't know if that's really a smart idea, and pretty much everyone in my life is discouraging me from quitting.

So if there is anyone here who maybe had a similar experience, I would really like to know if you think it's possible/preferable to stay and endure my schooling, so I have a degree, as well as an opportunity to make projects while part of a school, or if I should take the risk and leave.