Except for faking death, I didn’t have to do it.

Instead, we have this thing called PhD thesis defence, where 3 older adepts travel with you into the land of death. Nothing fake about that, just ritual. Then you are free to join the guild or do the hut thing.

You are free to do the hut thing anytime anyway, witches are free people. And alchemy clearly demonstrates that this guy/girl thing is a nonsense.