truckflyer: In my experience most new co-pilots show signs of boredom in the cruise and seem to wonder why on earth the "old duffer" to their left does not appear to be bored himself.
When they eventually get their command they finally realise just how many factors that they could not even have imagined in their early days were being considered by the captain who is also under no allusions that his co-pilot has not given any of these factors a passing thought! The loneliness of command!!