"You grow up however, unfortunately, as the college years fly by, into a very exaggerated sense of your own capacities"

With the passage of time, especially during the college years, there emerges a subtle transformation in how one perceives themselves. The shift from childhood to adulthood is replete with both genuine growth and the mirage of self-importance. As the days blend into semesters and the semesters into years, a creeping sense of invincibility and omnipotence overlays the mind. The knowledge amassed, the newfound freedom, and the social awakening college frequently brings can unwittingly build in a person an inflated confidence in their own abilities.

Such an "exaggerated sense" grows insidiously, masquerading as healthy self-assuredness. It comes from triumphs both academic and social, from the thrill of independence, and from comparing oneself to peers still finding their feet. The learner, now shaping and reinforcing their own worldview, can fall into the alluring trap of believing there are few limits to what they can do or achieve. The ego swells, sometimes pushing aside humility and the understanding of one's limitations.

Yet, these years also often lack the tempering influence of real-world experience. The protective bubble of campus life, with its manageable barriers and structured feedback, is a far cry from the unforeseen, uncontrollable, and at times, indifferent world lying beyond the university gates. Without this broader context, it's easy to mistake adolescent experimentations with true expertise, early victories with enduring mastery.

Eventually, life after college offers its own lessons. The workplace, relationships, and responsibilities soon provide a more accurate scale to measure one's actual capabilities. That earlier bravado is gently, sometimes harshly, reshaped by encounters with failure, by observing the abilities of others, and by realizing the constant need for personal growth. What remains is not the hollow bravado of youth, but hopefully, a wiser, humbler sense of oneself, born from a fusion of confidence and genuine self-awareness.