Not Engaged Yet

5 Years Ago...

So last night BF and I were discussing goals/milestones we'd like to accomplish over the next several years, and it reminded me of how when we first started dating he told me he wanted to start having kids at 26.  Well, he's 26 now and we're not even engaged, nevermind preparing to have kids (which is fine, because I knew he was crazy even then), but it got me thinking about how different things turn out from the way you expected them to.

So, to keep me occupied on this lovely Friday afternoon, my question to you is:  five years ago, what did you think you'd be doing today, and how is it different from what you're actually up to?

For me, I would have just graduated law school, been working in a law firm, lived in NY, been married, been pregnant if BF had his way, had a dog, and probably owned a house.  Instead, I'm a year out of my MBA, working in a med-tech start-up, and living in sin in an apartment in CA with no dog and no babies.  Not that I'm unhappy with the way things turned out at all--although I would love a fur baby if my landlord would allow it!  OK, now your turn!
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Re: 5 Years Ago...

  • minskat30minskat30 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    Five years ago, I was practicing law at a large law firm for two years and was with an ex-BF who treated me terribly. 

    I thought, five years into the future at that time, I would still be practicing law at the same law firm and doing well, own a home, have a dog (though ex-BF hated dogs) and married (but not to ex-BF...sensing a pattern? I broke it up around that time) with a kiddo with my new husband-to-be.

    Where I'm at is pretty much dead on to where I thought I would be.  I'm at the same firm, own a home, have a wonderful fluff ball of a dog and am married to my wonderful H.  No kids though...we'll see, we aren't ready yet and want some more time as a couple.
  • Oh boy... 5 years ago, I was 20.  I had been dating H just under a year.  I thought that by now, I would have graduated law school, had a nice, cushy, legal job all lined up.  Would be recently married...or about to get married.  Be looking to buy a house. 

    I didn't finish law school.  I am working part time and looking for a full time job.  And am looking to move to Chicago.  Am nowhere near buying a house.  Got married 9ish months ago.

    So yeah, sort of different. 
  • IrishDreamerIrishDreamer member
    2500 Comments Fourth Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    Hahaha five years ago I had no effing clue wtf was going onninnmy life, nor what was going to happen. Then: recently separated from ex h, working in divorce papers. No job. Just moved to mi, and living with my mom. Now: back in fl, recently separated from exFI, trying to sort that ish out. Working for a company I love, and that I enjoy, renting a house with a fur baby and just trying to figure it out
  • CLoGreenEyesCLoGreenEyes member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    5 years ago, I was a freshman in college and BF and I were very close friends and a month away from our first date. I was studying English and Psychology.

    I thought that I would be working as a copyeditor in some big city and cranking out the first of many bestselling mysteries. I expected that BF and I probably would part ways and not reallly be in touch by then, to be honest, because we seemed so different. Clearly I was dead wrong about everything, because we are still going strong and I would haaaate city life. Maybe there's a novel in my future, but not for a while. So glad I have grown and gotten a little more realistic since then!
  • suzie211suzie211 member
    250 Love Its 500 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    How things change in 5 years!  In June of 2008 I was laid off from a job that I had gone into thinking was amazing, but quickly learned wasn't.  By December fate stepped in and I landed a position with my current company.

    In July, my then BF dumped me.  I was devastated at the time, but it was for the best.  We had both gone back and forth over a couple year time period.  One day I wanted to be with him forever, the next I didn't want to be serious with him and he was always on the opposite side of me.   It took a toll on both of us.  Had we ever gotten on the same page, it probably still wouldn't have worked.  He's a great guy, but we just were not meant to be.  So glad it didn't work out and I met FI.

    My friends were all single and living it up here in the city.  We all said we wanted serious relationships, but none of us worked on the ones we had.  Being single was more important.  5 years later all of us are in serious relationships, and one has a kid.  We all figured out what we really wanted while partying it up.

    I also could drink Thurs night through Sunday Funday with no hangover.  One night of drinking now leads to the most insane hangovers these days.  I guess its payback.

    photo bridalparty.jpg
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  • Five years ago I was graduating from high school. I was so excited to go to college. My plan was to major in history, I wanted to join a sorority, and I definitely wasn't planning on getting into a serious relationship until I was much older. But I was also only 17 years old so I didn't really have a five year plan other than graduating from college.

    I know that where I am now isn't where my 17 year old self would've thought I'd be. I never would've imagined I'd be in Colorado, in grad school, teaching, and have an amazing boyfriend of 4 1/2 years.


  • 5 years ago I was dating but not finding anyone right and feeling a bit hopeless.  I was hoping to have already been married and possibly thinking about a kid already.  I was hoping my job would have allowed me to take on more responsibilities on my team.

    Little did I know I would end of marrying a procratinator.  I love my life and wouldn't change what happened and why. There wasn't a huge change in the past 5 years though....

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  • Five years ago I was teaching my last class and anticipating a huge change. Leaving my job, going back to school and moving back in with my parentals. I don't know that I had any specific idea of where I'd be 5 years out from there. I was only aware that the grad school program was for two years.
    I had just reconnect with my now H though. Little did I know he'd become by H.
  • 5 Years ago... 

    I was a couple of years out of a devastating end of an engagement, had finally picked myself up and moved on with my life. I decided to save money and have a baby on my own.

    But I tried to get pregnant and had some fertility issues, met a wonderful man who I plan to marry next year. So yeah....waaaaay different. I thought by now I would have a baby and be busy raising him/her on my own and instead and headed to Europe for 3 weeks and talking about weddings with my man. Crazy.
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  • 5 years ago I was finishing up my junior year of college. I was going to work as a camp counselor for the 2nd summer in a row. At the time, I was planning on moving to NYC after graduation with my new best friend, and I mostly imagined an awesome life of partying in the city and meeting lots of guys. I thought I'd do NYC Teaching Fellows, or I'd try to get a job with a publishing company.

    Part of my plans did come true. After graduation a year later, I moved into the city with my friend. We spend a year and half having a LOT of wild, crazy fun together. Then, in January of 2011, I met BF. I moved in with him outside of the city just 8 months later, and now we're in our 2nd apartment, and have a dog. I worked for the same company for the past 4 years and am just now starting a new job working for a summer camp. If someone had told me 5 years ago that this is what my life would look like, I would have thought it was too good to be true :-D
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  • Five years ago I thought I'd still be in school and living at home with my parents.  I also think I was still dating my Ex-BF at the time and was trying to figure out whether I wanted to stay with him or not.  I think I was also preparing to go to Las Vegas on my own (well, without parental supervision) to go explore and watch off-road racing.
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  • Vintagelove4Vintagelove4 member
    500 Comments Second Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    Five years ago, I had just started my community college classes (while in high school) and wanted to be an interior designer. I didn't have a bf but I was head over heels for a lead guitarist of a local band. I was now FI's best friend giving him advice on girls.

    Five years from then, I wanted to have at least one degree (preferably two). Wanted to be dating said lead guitarist... maybe visiting him on tour. I also wanted to have started my own prospering business.

    Today I'm engaged to FI, who graduated yesterday with his electrical engineering degree! I'm now majoring in intercultural studies, graduated in general studies. The guitarist is now a doctor I think.

    edit: spelling
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  • CLoGreenEyesCLoGreenEyes member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    Congrats to your FI on graduating, Lily! Engineering is no joke (BF is a mechanical engineer, so I remember what school was like, lol), so it is awesome that he is all done with his degree! :)
  • Five years ago I was getting ready to go to college and begin my journey as a pre-med student which soon changed to Biology after I realized how much I hated Anatomy. I was also dating a guy that I met in high school and we were having a rough time transitioning from hanging out almost every day to not hanging out at all since I was in school 3 hours away from him. Then he transfered to my school, which freaked me out, and we broke up about a month later.

    Now I'm engaged to a wonderful man I met during my senior year of college and five years ago I never would have imagined myself as a Technical Recruiter and planning my own wedding a year after college. I would have thought I would be finishing up my first year of med school and becoming a family practice doctor while simultaneously growing bald from being stressed out so much.
  • Five years ago I had just finished my freshman year of college, was undergoing a major change in what I wanted to do, weighing how I could/would switch my major from International Relations to Bio.  I had just started dating exFI.  

    I graduated college 2 years ago, gave one last swing at the marine bio thing, dropped exFI like a bad habit, reconnected with BF, and I'm working as an office manager for a nonprofit.  Way different than where I thought I was heading, but definitely a better path.
    I french with my man
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  • cu97tigercu97tiger member
    Eighth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited May 2013
    Five years ago I was getting ready to move to Arizona to pursue my MBA and had just 'met' an interesting man online. My plan at the time was to get my MBA and then get hired by a major league sports team. I never figured I'd be in Arizona past graduation. I hoped to be married but really didn't 'plan' on it.

    Fast forward five years, I'm married to that interesting man, we just left AZ in December to move to the east coast, we're talking about having babies, and I've got a great job as a manager in the events industry. I'm happy as a clam :)

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    "You are made of win." -SopChick
    Still here and still fabulous!

  • I love that pretty much everyone here has seen her life go in a drastically different direction than she thought.  That's one of the things that makes life fun, IMO.

    I don't have much to add.  5 years ago, I had been dating N for 2 years and thought that we would be married (we are) and that I would have figured out what I wanted to do with my life (I haven't).
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