surfing is her big dream, she takes a lesson in the water and doesn't like it anymore, just as an example
I went to college for three years to be a radio DJ, then I actually became a DJ and hated it, and went back to college for another four years for an entirely different career that I love.
People ARE allowed to dream about something, and when they do it they're allowed to change their mind and realize it wasn't for them.
Another example: I grew up in a rural farming community. There were no ice rinks within 100 miles and there weren't any ponds big enough that, when they froze in the winter, you could ice skate on it.
I grew up always dreaming of ice skating, and when I actually got to do it as a teenager, I didn't like it.
Zoey's character arc is perfectly normal.