We acquire the skills needed to survive in the jungle that is the real world. College is a microcosm of society, and in it we take the first steps on the tightrope. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, but many have gone before us. We enter the real world with a pure, untarnished idealism and the desire to take on all of society's problems. Some skeptics say as we grow older, we become more jaded, unable to reconcile the harshness of reality.
People become grounded in their position in society and adopt complacent attitudes.
That complacency and lack of drive causes us to fear reality. The fear of failure is real. If you become consumed by fear, however, you will fail. The key to survival is realizing life is like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going and going. If you get preoccupied with fear and anxiety, life will pass you by.