u/Upbeat_Project6110

For context, I'm a 23M, and it's been about a year since I broke up with my last girlfriend.

Over the last year+, I've become extremely happy being single and honestly loved all the freedom that comes with it. I genuinely had such a great year, to the point where I was telling my sister and friends that the thought of having a girlfriend was the last thing on my mind.

I've gone on a few dates with some beautiful, genuinely great women and had a couple of "situationships," for lack of a better word. They were the type of girls I would normally date, but for some reason I just felt no real connection. I didn't really have the desire to cuddle with them, take them out on dates, or get emotionally invested. That's usually not like me, but I just figured I'd become really independent and wasn't looking for a relationship.

Then I met someone.

It took very little time to realize that we got along extremely well, had the same values and life goals, and had a connection that I haven't felt in a long time. While it's been a really great feeling, it's also honestly made me kind of scared. Usually I am not like this and fully embrace that feeling.

I'm worried about losing the independence I've built over the last year, and seemingly worried about getting hurt again. I catch myself checking to see if she texted me, wanting to see her, thinking about her throughout the day, and all of that. I don't really know why it scares me, but it's almost to the point where part of me would rather just ghost and "protect my peace" than give it a real shot, because I know if it doesn't work out... this one would actually hurt.

This is probably more common than I think, but has anyone else gone through something like this? Any advice on what I should do?

Hi, for context I am a 24 year old, making 92K a year with a very stable job. I currently have a truck that I am looking to sell for around 18-20K. I also am extremely lucky and have parents that are willing to contribute 16k to help on a downpayment for a new car. (Yes I know im extremely lucky and blessed to have this). I currently have 30K+ saved up & invested after my first year of work that I do not planning on dipping into. I currently pay 1500$ on rent and spend around 1000$ on all other expenses.

Given this: I am looking to buy a used Corvette c7 GS for 50-53k. I plan to put a 35-40k downpayment on the car, and finance the remaining costs. This would result in 300-400$ a month on car payments, and if we're being honest 300$ on insurance & 100$ on other maintenance for a car like that. Thats putting me at 800$ a month on the car.

I am doing this because I genuinely love cars, I never buy anything, and the c7 GS is a car that I love and I believe is already at its lowest depreciation....and even might appreciate do to it being the last "true" corvette.

So my question is: While yes, in my mind I can technically financially afford this and still save ~2k a month, should I? Or am I being an extremely dumb 24 year old who is being naive to the real world.

I always hear two sides of the story :

1. buy the sports car when you're young and enjoy it

2. don't buy the sports car you'll regret it

I really want genuine blunt advice and want to make an educated decision after hearing both sides of the story.

I am currently looking to buy a C7 GS around May/June 2027. I have kept an eye on the pricing and am confused on why these cars are sitting at a comfortable ~55k. I am looking to buy one for around 50k flat, with a 40k downpayment. This is my first time buying a car on my own so I am a bit new to this.

I am able to find C8 base corvettes for low 60s and high 50s, confusing me as to why a decade old car is near the same price. Are the prices for the c7 GS especially high rn and can I expect to get one for 50k within the next year. I am currently looking at Edmunds, Carmax, and Facebook Marketplace etc.

Looking for some advice on long-term career planning and whether an MBA makes sense for my situation.

For background, I attended a top 10 liberal arts college where I studied Political Science, graduated with a 3.5 GPA, and competed as a Division I athlete. After that, I completed a master's degree in Finance at a top 3 public university and graduated with a 3.7 GPA.

I'm now starting a Finance Leadership Development Program (FLDP) at a Fortune 500 aerospace & defense company. The program is a three-year rotational program focused on developing future finance leaders within the company. Compensation starts around $90k and should be roughly $115k–130k if I was to take the promotion after graduating from the FLDP and stay with the company

My current thinking is that I would only pursue an MBA if I were admitted to an M7 program. I'm trying to understand:

• Would I be a realistic M7 candidate after 3 years of FLDP experience?
• Would it be better to apply after 3 years of experience or stay another 1–2 years and apply with 4–5 years?
• How are FLDP programs generally viewed by top MBA admissions committees?
• Is an M7 MBA still one of the best paths into higher-paying opportunities ($200k+ compensation) and pivoting into careers such as investment banking, consulting, corporate strategy, or senior finance leadership roles?

My long-term goal is to maximize career opportunities and compensation while building a strong leadership trajectory. I'm interested in hearing from people who have gone through MBA admissions, completed FLDPs, or made similar career decisions.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!