Lateral from MM SA to BB/EB FT

I know people have gone over this topic a million times here, but I just wanted to get a better idea of my situation. I recently wrapped up recruiting for 2025 SA, and while I wasn't able to land a BB/EB offer, I managed to get something at a MM "balance sheet bank" in NY. Of course, I don't want to disparage having this offer; I'm extremely grateful to have gotten something considering how competitive recruitment has become. That being said, I'm still interested in shooting for a BB/EB full time. Is it as soul-crushing as people say? When should I start networking? When it comes to group placement for the summer, does it make sense to aim for a product group (M&A or levfin) to have more versatility for FT recruitment? To give some context, I'm target, non-div. Would really appreciate any insights!