I (21F) have been with my boyfriend (19M) for a while, and we’re both still in university. We love each other a lot, and I genuinely want to stand by him while he works on himself and his career.
Recently, we had a serious conversation about our future, and he told me he doesn’t know when he’ll be ready for marriage. He said it could be as short as 2 years, but it might also be 5, 9, or even 10 years — depending on how long it takes for him to “build himself” and feel ready. He did say he would work harder to make it happen sooner, but there’s no guarantee.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? How do I balance loving someone and supporting their goals with making sure my own life plans aren’t completely on hold? Should I set a firm timeline or just trust that he’ll be ready sooner?
TL;DR: I’m 21F, my boyfriend is 19M. He says marriage could be in 2 years… or as long as 9–10 years, depending on how long it takes for him to “build himself.” I love him but I’m unsure if I should set a timeline or just wait and trust him.