While someone is young with many single friends they are at the climax of fun-life. At this point they cannot fathom why to move on. Is pays to move on before figuring it out, though.
No, it is not the next step toward free fun, as going from high school to out-of-school was. It is the next stage in life. It is like going from playing all day to going to school. You are afraid to move ahead but you don’t want to go back.