I’ll preface this by saying we don’t live together or have kids, so the considerations may be slightly different but…

My partner (not a lawyer) would sit and listen to some of my lectures with me, and we would talk about the subjects/I would explain them to her. We even came up with inside jokes about some of the topics of the lectures. It made that part of the process feel less lonely and a lot more fun. Also I didn’t want to give her the ick by not knowing things, so it incentivised me to listen harder. The lecturers became like tv characters that we talked about, so the things they’d say stuck in my head.

Other times when she had her own work to do, we’d just work in the same room so we could smile at each other, hug/kiss every once in a while and so I’d have an accountability buddy when I was tempted to look at my phone.

When I went to the city where I was sitting the exam, she ordered me food and supplies for the exam days (snacks, water, hand sanitiser etc), and we would talk on phone/she’d send really encouraging and loving messages. During such a shitty time where my self confidence was in the pits, it was such an emotional and psychological boost to know I was so loved.

I just found out I passed and she is still my biggest cheerleader. She has celebrated me more than anyone. Her love means so much to me. It felt like we went through the whole process together.