I lucked out. I left the U of M, three years into a degree, to go school in RI. I asked my girlfriend to marry me, and support my ass for 4 years. I also asked if she minded much if we put the ring and honeymoon money in the bank for a house. She was all in. When I got out of school, she went to gas passing school, and we managed to make it 28 years without divorcing, killing, or cheating on each other.