The Minecraft grind is real. This is why modded Minecraft is also as popular as it is. Paradoxically, many popular mods add their own grind. But you bought a crippled version, so this is moot anyway.
In the game's defense, it's possible to control your environment 100%. Including dangerous cave expeditions. This can get extreme, but in most cases it's enough to keep the light levels high, since monsters only spawn in darkness. So spam those torches or just block off passages every now and then. A two block high wall will defend against anything but spiders.
The skeletons are bullshit in the current iteration of the game. They used to be a lot less threatening, but an update over-compensated, so now it's all but guaranteed that you take damage if you face even a single skeleton. Especially if they surprise you, which they will. Unless it's a zombie, surprise is how all the monsters get you, regardless of how familiar with the game you are.
Also, your shit is/was still there. Unless the console versions are gimped in this way, your stuff stays where it is for 5 minutes. If you can make it back there, you get to keep it. Unless it falls into lava, in which case it's gone forever.
