Started my PhD back in the UK after Uni as I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.
6 weeks in, my PhD supervisor announces he's got a job in Sydney and he was bringing as many as he could. I wasn't sure as I had a longterm GF at the time. Decided I'm going and she agreed. We didn't officially ever break-up, but more agreed to end things and still be friends after a couple of weeks in Thailand on my way to Sydney.
Get over to Sydney with a few others, have a really shit first year and think about jacking it in
Start going to the pub on a Friday with another new-ish PhD student thats a bit more outgoing
Start going every week, and make some mates.
One of the guys has some mates coming over from Perth for a weekend to visit him. We arrange to meet him later for night on the piss. I'd worn a pair of jeans that day and suffered for it all day, but it meant I didn't have to head home, and I likely wouldn't have gone out. Hit it off with one of his mates, we hung out the entire weekend and then before she goes back she asks me to come visit her in Perth
I do, and then we do long distance for a year with semi-regular visits to each other
Finish PhD, move to Perth
Still here, been married 8 years and have 3 kids
Imagine if I'd decided to stay in the UK, decided to quit or not gone out that Friday night - things would be pretty different.
Often think of the sliding door moment where I'd put some jeans on the morning I met the (now) wife, could have a pretty different last 13 years...