ADVICE NEEDED: My GF [25F] wanted to have a conversation after I [27M] failed the bar exam. What would you do?
My girlfriend [25F] and I [27M] recently started dating. She's incredible: Brilliant, Hard-working, kind, and beautiful. We met during our final year of college in Ohio, (I'm in Law school, and she's a Chemist).
We met in a UBE state (the bar exam I sat for granted me a license to practice in multiple states), I'm from Ohio, and she's from California. The results for the UBE bar were recently announced, and unfortunately I did not pass on my first attempt. I was distraught because I thought I would pass given how much time I spent preparing. My girlfriend was very supportive, not once did she make me feel inadequate or as if I would not be a great attorney. I was feeling down, disappointed, and lost. Then, she texted me while she was at work that she wanted to have "a serious conversation about our future". She assured me right away that it wasn't a break-up talk. Still, I didn't know what to expect.
When we spoke later that night, she shared that she wants to return to Cali. She only came to Ohio for school (I've lived here my entire life). Now that we've both graduated, she said that she wants to return to Cali and have me come with her. She shared that she got an extremely lucrative job offer in LA (don't want to go into specifics, but $120k+ annual starting salary) and wants to relocate early next year. What she said next threw me:
"I adore you, but I hate Ohio. Please come with me to California. I'll pay for the costs for you to study and sit for the California Bar Exam and whatever living costs in the meantime."
I was shocked. I didn't know what she was going to say, but I would not have guessed that in a million years.
I don't know what to do, how to feel, and how to respond to her proposal.
In my research, the salaries for the area of law I'd like to practice are way higher in CA than in OH. If I went, I could afford to give her the life she deserves. I'm planning on going to CA next month (for the first time ever btw) to see the area more.
Lots of emotions and I'm trying to navigate it all while putting on a strong front for her.
Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated!