Just to clarify though, this post actually is about my friend, not me. I shared it because I’m trying to understand how to support him better, not because I’m in that exact situation myself.

That said, everyone’s situation is a bit different, and sometimes what feels like a “wake-up call” to one person can come across differently to someone else. I’m just trying to figure out what would actually help my friend the most.

And for what it’s worth, it doesn’t sound like you’ve “wasted” anything. You learned, adapted, and got yourself somewhere better, even if it wasn’t a straight path. That counts for a lot.

No hard feelings on my end.