The closest equivalent I can think of is being the highschool football quarterback, and then trading on that for the rest of your life, because after highschool

The closest equivalent I can think of is being the highschool football quarterback, and then trading on that for the rest of your life, because after highschool, nothing else you did brought you as much recognition. If you're the smartest kid in your highschool- or the best football player- you're probably pretty exceptional, compared to everyone else. But after you graduate, suddenly you're competing against the top kids from every other highschool. I think that transition can be very tough for kids who are a bit sheltered.