I don't think I haden golden years, but definitely golden moments. It's a rose-colored glasses thing. If I think about Uni, I loved the freedom in making a schedule for myself, I loved having my bills and concerns taken care of for the most part, and I loved feeling young and alive. If I'm fair, though, I was also depressed during that time, and the period was not one of being a net positive.
I will say what I feel has passed me by are (1) the highest highs life has to offer, and (2) the potential to make a better future. I wish I had those things back.