Learning how to find lift and use it effectively; then move on to the next thermal will keep you learning for quite some time. Then there's the cross-countries and occasional farmer visits
I found my first landout a bigger deal than my first solo as you really do have to do quite a bit of thinking for yourself.
Mind you, I look upon a landout as a more sedate affair than a forced landing in power. There's a
big difference in time to think things through when you're coming down at 120'/min instead of 800'/min
When the temp is in the 80s, landing out at an airport and getting a aerotow back home is easier than a ground retrieve.