In less than a month, I found myself without a boyfriend, without an apartment, and working a job that didn’t pay enough to cover close to half of my monthly bills. Naturally, I was a mess. I’ve always prided myself on my work ethic and I had been financial independent since graduating from high school. Now I was faced with not having enough money in my savings account to find a new apartment. I was out of options and worried that the only solution was to move back in with my parents in Minnesota.

I wasn’t ready to leave Chicago, though, and the life I had worked so hard to build here. It might have made short-term financial sense to return to my hometown, but in the long run, it felt like a bad career move. And to tell the truth, I just wasn’t ready to admit that level of defeat.

So I swallowed my pride and texted my friends John and Daniel, asking if I could live with them for awhile, just long enough to get through my internship and then find regular employment. They texted me back with a yes in under 10 minutes. I have known these two since college, we were close, and they are some of the most generous people I know. They have a two-bedroom apartment on the northwest side of Chicago, so there was certainly room for me. It was risky, though: It’s one thing to be friends and a whole other thing to rely on people for major financial and emotional support. I wasn’t afraid to admit that I needed help. And I was lucky that they were willing to welcome me into their home without a second thought.

The initial deal was that I’d just stay for the summer. I thought that would be enough time to sort out my life and find a full-time job. And as soon I had a plan, I felt an instant wave of relief flood over me. I was so lucky to have such amazing friends to help me at this low point — and over the year that we lived together, I was overwhelmed by the amount of generosity they showed me. (Yes, that’s right, it took me a full 12 months to truly get back on my feet and move into my own place.)

I worried constantly that I was taking advantage of John and Daniel. And some people might say that I did. They charged me very little rent, never expected me to chip in for utilities, and often picked up the whole bill if we went out for dinner. But it was more than just the financial support that got me through that rough time. The two of them have always been great at listening to me rant and encouraging me when I’m down. Daniel let me lean on his shoulder and cry like a baby when my boyfriend and I finally broke up, and both of them cheered me on when I started meeting new people.