Good catch! Enjoy the bike.
Regular maintenance is the key to component longevity - largely keeping the drivetrain clean and greased. Mud and water in the winter and dust in the summer are the culprits.
If it's the chain getting thrown, then it's largely down to two things. One is using weird gear combos like small chainring on the front and small sprocket on the rear, which bike drivetrains generally don't like, and the other is the limit screws on the derailleurs not being set up correctly, and them moving the chain too far as a result. The first is prevented by being mindful, while the second shouldn't be a problem on what is a very lightly-used bike.
This place is a great source of info when it comes to DIY bike maintenance, BTW. It never hurts to learn the basics, and hopefully it'll prevent a long, cold and wet walk home...