To be fair, it is a bit of a struggle after you pass your skills test. Up to that point, your instructor has set the goals to be attained in every flight, he/she has organised the aircraft and made the judgement about weather conditions versus your abilities and also given you the confidence that there is nothing that can happen that he/she can't sort out.
Also, where you once had priority because you were a student generating income for the flight school, when you become just 'another PPL' I think you tend to feel a little isolated.