What are your views on marriages? Are you planning on being married?

I was reading my Sociology book earlier, on a small chapter (about a good 35 pages) was on Marriage. I read everything, and I wasn't exactly surprised by the stuff I read. Most of it, I already knew. What are your thoughts on marriage (whether it be hetero or same-sex)? What is your current age? Do you plan on getting married? Are you planning on having any sort of cohabitation? Do you think cohabitation actually helps to avoid divorces, or makes it worse?

From the text I was reading, sometimes, people are more 'picky' with their partner after a cohabitation. Regardless of whether two people are around 'our' age group (19-mid 20's), or if they're significantly older. I'm personally, am planning to get married. I'm starting to see in life that it's really pointless to be overly picky, because you can get by with almost anyone as long as there are set 'rules' or standards. Also, having to know one's responsibilities helps a lot when having a child. I'm not prepared yet, as I'm only nearing '21' this upcoming March, but I don't see myself being married until in my late 20's. I also plan on living with someone before I am going to be with them for an extremely long time.

So to make it into a more simple form that's easier, feel free to copy-pasta and explain:

1) Your age?
2) Do you plan on getting married?
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many?

I love topics like this.

I am 23.
So firstly, I'll start with older people's opinion, which is... if you can't find a decent partner, don't marry, don't bring kids into the world to an unhappy family.
I agree with them on that level, but I think my bf is some relatively good husband material, and when I am ready, I will accept his proposal and walk down the isle with him.
My view of marriage (the idealistic one) is having a loving couple to start their own little family, take care of each other and their kids, and basically just be a family.
Which doesn't always happen, but yeah, we don't live in utopia, so couples break up and families break down.

As to cohabitation, I don't know yet because I haven't had lived with my bf for a long length of time, but from the 5 days away I spent with my bf, we got on okay.
Not sure what might happen though... when we have to go working and stuff...

1) Your age? 20, turning 21 March 22nd
2) Do you plan on getting married? Yes some day, but not til in my late 20's, if not super-early 30's.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Definitely
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. I think it increases the chances of divorce, because the more you get to know your partner, the more picky you become. Because of this, you want too much and expect unrealistic expectations of your partner. Especially in the economic-state that the United States is in at the moment, along with the society we live in.. we tend to think love conquers all when it really isn't 'top notch' priority.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. It plays a role, but not a major role as I once had thought. People might want to get married just for economic reasons. If you have kids, when they grow up, they can help you to pay the bills, etc. You might get a partner just because he or she is equal to you in terms of education, status, wealth, or similar interests. These are some of the example. Personally, I would like to marry someone that I can get along with. But I don't expect myself to baby the chick, nor vice-versa.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? If I do have kids, it's more-so for the 'emotional' value and not because of economically. I'm hoping to have at least one kid, two would be nice, but three is way too bothersome. The more children I have, the more of a liability to me they can become. I sound cold as I type this while I'm reading what I'm typing, but truth is, some kids are just expensive to raise. I know this for sure. Some children wants just way too much stuff, but some won't. Some will actually help pay for stuff around the house, some might just want to move out and never repay their parents, who knows.

...Actually, re-reading my answers, I realize my viewpoints have completely changed since last year. Hmm.. back then, I just wanted independence from my parents, but now that I think about it, independence means a lot of responsibilities, as not only do I need to take care of myself, but also my parents once I get older and have to repay them back as a way to show appreciation and respect. I dislike my father, but he's a great one. He's taught me lots, and I realize him and my mother sacrificed a lot just to have '2' loving children, and I will one day repay them back for their awesome parenting.

EDIT: Changed 1st post to accommodate other users for ease of posting.

It really depends if I get a girlfriend or not. Like many other Southperryians, I am a nerd that live in the basement. If I could get a girlfriend, swell. If she wants to get married, even better. If she wants cohabitation, sure why not?

I think cohabitation decreases the amount of divorces. You get to know the other person much more better and you'll know if he/she is the right person for you.

Love is essential for marriage unless in one of those rare circumstances when you're being blackmailed, threatened, etc. etc. If you don't love your spouse, then your marriage will be pretty unhappy.

If my hypothetical wife wants to have children, sure why not?

1) Your age? 18
2) Do you plan on getting married? I plan on getting married when gays can marry on all 50 states.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Yes
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Helps avoid divorces because cohabitation allows you to see your partner and bond with them more often
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. No, you can get married on lust alone.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I don't plan, but if I ever change my mind I'm going to have to adopt...

1) 22
2) Some day, once I have my own life sorted out.
3) This question is vague, since traditionally cohabitation happens after marriage. However, in recent times, it's not uncommon to move in while dating. As for me, I would like to live with my significant other before marriage, just to get a better picture of what they're really like. People act so much while dating, I would hate to get married and be stuck with some lazy douche.
4) I don't think it has anything to do with it, people are always looking for a scapegoat for their failures. If a marriage isn't working it's not because you were too close or too far apart, it's because you weren't compatible. Incompatibility can be attributed to various things including being too close, but in the end, it's still personal faults.
5) In order to stay married? No. That just takes a strong will and a lot of compromise/sacrifice. For a successful marriage, yes love is a necessity. If you don't genuinely enjoy the person you're with after 5/10/15 years and you're still married, it's not a successful marriage, it's really just a burden or an obligation.
6) I have a lot of fears and concerns about parenthood but ideally, I would love to be a parent. I love children, and I am great with them. I just have concerns about dealing with things like unforeseen issues at birth (things like Downs Syndrome, Autism, etc.) I don't know if I have the patience to deal with that and it scares me.

1) Your age? I am currently 17 years old.
2) Do you plan on getting married? Yes, most definitely. I don't want to die alone. But not right now, its simply much too early. I want to be at a place in my life where everything is consistent and I have achieved my dream.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Yes, I don't think I could live alone for long. I enjoy company.
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. It really depends on the type of relationship. If it were mine, I really don't think so, because it will only show me how the person truly is.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Love is a very ambiguous word. For me, its a type of partnership, yes affection is nice, but it shouldn't always be that way. It is more of a great friendship, for me. Atleast that's the only way I think I could be with someone for the rest of my life.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? Well, children is a very big complication for me due to various health issues. In a nutshell according to my doctor, should I become pregnant, the amount of nutrients and energy the fetus will require may overcome my body, and quite literally suck me dry. I'm much too weak to take care of a child, much less birth it. So I may adopt, I may not. Although I would love to have a child. Maybe just one.

[color="#000080"] 1) Your age? 19, turning 20 on June.
2) Do you plan on getting married? Yes, lately I've been wondering this more than ever. I definitely want to be married in the future. Maybe when I am 25~27 and I have this career thing sorted out.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?Actually I think this comes before marriage. If you can't stand living with the one you love and plan on getting married with, how can you even get married in the first place?
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Dunno. I never really thought about this.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Yes. Well, I've seen a handful of marriages sustained by things other than love, and working out really well, but I don't see that being my case.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? Yes, f'uck yes. I'd love to have 2. A girl and a boy, or a boy and a girl. Whatever comes first. I couldn't handle more than 2 though, and I'd spoil too much a single kid. [/color]

1) Your age? 14
2) Do you plan on getting married? At some point, yes. Well, I'd like to. I have no idea what I plan on doing with my life at this point.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Most likely. I don't think I'd marry someone without living with them for a while beforehand.
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Hmm... Well, I think it wouldn't really help avoid/increase divorces... rather, it would help avoid/increase marriages. It's probably a good idea to live with someone before you marry them, though.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Well, yes. I mean, I'm sure there are people who marry for money still, but I'd guess that usually one of the two believes that the other is actually in love with them. Other than that, I don't see why you would marry for something other than love.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I'd like to have children sometime after I get married, but... I have 3 siblings (two younger sisters, and a slightly older twin brother). The youngest sister has severe peanut allergies, and the other sister and my brother have mental disorders (bipolar and... well, something). It's somewhat selfish of me, but I'm not sure that I'd be able to raise a kid that would be forced to go through that.

1) I'm 17 and a half (YESAHALF) atm. ;D
2) Marriage is something I've subconsciously expected of my life, although I wonder if it's a practical endeavor.
3) It would cut bills a lot, so if we were serious, probably. (See #4)
4) Helps avoid. You get to learn about splitting duties, etc., before the marriage. In a sense, it kills the weak marriages before they are formed.
5) Love? Nope. As long as both people can keep each other content, it'd work. That being said, it'd be hard to do so without some kind of honest love from at least one party.
6) Like with marriage, a subconscious expectation of my life. I'd probably have 2, since I grew up with one sister, and 2 is the average in the US. But I don't plan on doing it while I'm young. I don't want to spend my youth(of adult life) taking care of babies. My economic condition would also play a huge roll. If I'm making 20 grand (ignore inflation), I'll push it off. If I'm making 100, I think I could afford it.

1) Your age? 25

2) Do you plan on getting married? *looks at shiny ring*

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? I'm moving in with my husband as soon as I can find a job nearby. It was my choice not to move in with him until after we were married.

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.

 warning: contains wall of text

There are studies that show cohabitation before marriage significantly increases the chances of divorce, though obviously it's not the same for every couple. In my case, I chose not to move in before marriage for several reasons.

First, I did not know if he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew I loved him, and I knew he loved me, but I wasn't sure if he was the kind of guy I wanted to start a family with. I did not want to make the commitment to finding a place together and then find out later on he wasn't what I was looking for in a mate. I am the kind of person who has the tendency to get comfortable with "the way things are," even if I know that "the way things are" could be much better. I did not want to fall into that kind of a stagnant relationship.

Second, when we got together in college, we were spending almost every day together. Every meal, every class, every hour until bedtime (and many after) were spent with him. After a while, I felt as though we took each other for granted because we were always together all the time. I felt neglected. I felt unappreciated. After we graduated, I remembered these feelings when he brought up the idea to move in together and decided I didn't want to go that route until I knew we were both fully committed to each other. He respected my decision even though he disagreed with it.

Third, I grew up in a very traditionally-minded, Catholic family. I did not want to rock the boat too much and incur the wrath of my mother for a boy I wasn't sure I'd love forever.

I know that there are plenty of couples who live together before marriage and they get along just fine and dandy. However, I didn't feel that it was the right decision for us. Our relationship began on very shaky ground, and I really did not want to jump in with both feet without knowing how deep the waters were. After we were engaged, these reasons didn't really matter anymore, since I knew he was committed to me. However, I still felt that we should wait until after marriage, though honestly thinking about it now I can't really give a good, logical answer why or why not. I guess I'm just a little more traditionally-minded than I like to admit.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Not at all. There are plenty of arranged marriages in other countries where the bride and groom don't even meet until the day of their wedding. Though I do believe that there has to be mutual trust and respect in a successful marriage.

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I want lots and lots of kids. If I had it my way I'd have at least five. I loved growing up with a huge extended family, and I would love to give that gift of family to my offspring. Realistically though, we probably won't be able to afford that many children, so I want at least three so they can have playmates and a support system growing up.

1) Your age? 25

2) Do you plan on getting married? *looks at shiny ring*

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? I'm moving in with my husband as soon as I can find a job nearby. It was my choice not to move in with him until after we were married.

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.

 warning: contains wall of text

There are studies that show cohabitation before marriage significantly increases the chances of divorce, though obviously it's not the same for every couple. In my case, I chose not to move in before marriage for several reasons.

First, I did not know if he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew I loved him, and I knew he loved me, but I wasn't sure if he was the kind of guy I wanted to start a family with. I did not want to make the commitment to finding a place together and then find out later on he wasn't what I was looking for in a mate. I am the kind of person who has the tendency to get comfortable with "the way things are," even if I know that "the way things are" could be much better. I did not want to fall into that kind of a stagnant relationship.

Second, when we got together in college, we were spending almost every day together. Every meal, every class, every hour until bedtime (and many after) were spent with him. After a while, I felt as though we took each other for granted because we were always together all the time. I felt neglected. I felt unappreciated. After we graduated, I remembered these feelings when he brought up the idea to move in together and decided I didn't want to go that route until I knew we were both fully committed to each other. He respected my decision even though he disagreed with it.

Third, I grew up in a very traditionally-minded, Catholic family. I did not want to rock the boat too much and incur the wrath of my mother for a boy I wasn't sure I'd love forever.

I know that there are plenty of couples who live together before marriage and they get along just fine and dandy. However, I didn't feel that it was the right decision for us. Our relationship began on very shaky ground, and I really did not want to jump in with both feet without knowing how deep the waters were. After we were engaged, these reasons didn't really matter anymore, since I knew he was committed to me. However, I still felt that we should wait until after marriage, though honestly thinking about it now I can't really give a good, logical answer why or why not. I guess I'm just a little more traditionally-minded than I like to admit.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Not at all. There are plenty of arranged marriages in other countries where the bride and groom don't even meet until the day of their wedding. Though I do believe that there has to be mutual trust and respect in a successful marriage.

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I want lots and lots of kids. If I had it my way I'd have at least five. I loved growing up with a huge extended family, and I would love to give that gift of family to my offspring. Realistically though, we probably won't be able to afford that many children, so I want at least three so they can have playmates and a support system growing up.

I think out of every post in this thread, this was one of the posts I enjoyed reading the most. Because not only did you type something that was almost identical to the texts in my book, but also that you've related your own personal experiences/thoughts on the matter. Interesting.

1) Your age? 19
2) Do you plan on getting married? you bet
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Nope, don't believe in it
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Increases. I just come from a background where cohab is a no-no, and I personally don't see why you would need to. I think that in fact, it allows for a way out. You don't like the person after a little cohab? You can always get out.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Love is essential, but not 100% There needs to be love, but it can't just be the only thing
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I think 4 would be good

1) Your age? 17
2) Do you plan on getting married? Someday
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Yes
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. I think it will help decrease divorces since, hopefully, you'll know the person you are going to marry better.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. No because plenty of people get married for economical or other reasons. Love, of course helps. I'd say that the very large majority of marriages need love to survive though.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? Yes. I want children because I have always wanted to be a good parent. To be honest, I've always respected my dad as a person. He worked hard his whole life, and he's very smart. I've always felt that he's a bad parent, though. He's not abusive, he's just emotionally distant from his children. Ever since I was little I have told myself that someday I'll be a parent and I'll raise a good child (or two). Preferably, two children because I don't want to raise a spoiled only-child.

1) Your age? 17
2) Do you plan on getting married? Yes
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation? Yes
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Decrease divorce of course. Much more non-cohabitation marriages end up badly compared to cohabitated ones.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Royalty has gotten married whether love existed or not for ages, so no. Whether or not the marriage survives or not is another matter.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? I can't help but want a child after watching clannad/aishiteruse baby. Just 1 would be great.

1) Your age?
44

2) Do you plan on getting married?
No

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?
No

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.
I have read the statistics that show that couples who cohabited before marriage are more likely to divorce. However, I do not believe there is a cause-and-effect here. Rather, both are caused by the same external factor.
In today's Western society, people who don't live together before getting married, are (in generalization) more religious or otherwise conservative/traditional than people who do. These people are also more likely to believe in the sanctity of marriage, or otherwise assign it a higher significance than the more "modern" or "liberal" types. In other words, they are much less likely to just pick up and leave when their marriage goes through a rough patch, or even just becomes boring.
So, if you are in fact the type of person who doesn't mind cohabiting, avoiding it in order to prevent divorce will just not work. You should live together, get to know the person and their habits, try to make sure you really can stand to be around them day after day after day.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why.
Nowadays, yes. In the past, marriage was essential, for both social and economic reasons. A single person could not survive, could not raise a family. So arranged marriages and marriages of convenience all worked, as long as the people involved did their part and got along reasonably well.
Today, there are so many labor-saving devices, services for sale, and social acceptance, that it's simply no longer necessary to share your life with someone you don't love. At least to start with. Later on, there might be other considerations for staying together (children, inertia), but if there is no love in the beginning, what is the point?

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many?
I already have two children. Why? I've been brainwashed from infancy that children are pretty much the goal of life. If you have no children, you might as well not have lived. Even though I am aware of this indoctrination, still it took hold. Even though I had fun doing pretty much whatever I wanted, my life seemed pointless without a cute little baby to snuggle.
(Oddly enough, the even more powerful brainwashing to get married, the notion that in order to "live happily ever after" I must find my prince, never worked on me. Go figure)

I totally disagree with the view of children as a financial investment, as someone who'd take care of me in my old age. If I wanted that, I'd have put all the money children cost over the years into some kind of savings program to enable me to purchase whatever care I need in my old age. Much more reliable than children, who just might turn out selfish, or unable to support even themselves.

1) Your age?
17

2) Do you plan on getting married?
Illegal for me to do so, at least to the gender that I feel attracted to. Even if it was legal for me to get married, why would I? What does being married hold? A ring? A piece of paper? I don't need material things to feel that my partner and I are completely committed to eachother. The love and trust between us two should be enough, and we wouldn't need to show everyone in a ceremony.

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?
Yes.

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.
Both, I suppose. I know what it's like to live with someone, see them every day, day in day out (family), and I know how it puts strain on a relationship. But, I would love to be able to wake up next to my boyfriend every morning, and to fall asleep in his arms every night. I suppose we would both be out most of the weekday due to work and whatever else we have to do, but I plan on spending nearly every weekend with them too.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why.
I don't think marriage is.. right. But if people do get married, yes, they should be in love with eachother. Marriage is supposed to be a sign of love.

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many?
No. Annoying, time consuming, and they can put a strain on a relationship.

[color="#000080"] 1) Your age? 19, turning 20 on June.
2) Do you plan on getting married? Yes, lately I've been wondering this more than ever. I definitely want to be married in the future. Maybe when I am 25~27 and I have this career thing sorted out.
3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?Actually I think this comes before marriage. If you can't stand living with the one you love and plan on getting married with, how can you even get married in the first place?
4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why. Dunno. I never really thought about this.
5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why. Yes. Well, I've seen a handful of marriages sustained by things other than love, and working out really well, but I don't see that being my case.
6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many? Yes, f'uck yes. I'd love to have 2. A girl and a boy, or a boy and a girl. Whatever comes first. I couldn't handle more than 2 though, and I'd spoil too much a single kid. [/color]

Stole the answers right out of my mouth. Although I'm turning 20 in September and I do believe I will get married no matter pineappleing what. Pretty optimistic of me considering I've still not dated once yet, but yeah. Kids will be the most awesome things I'll ever make.

1) Your age?

17

2) Do you plan on getting married?

No. I do not. I disagree and hate marriage system, because honestly, what is a marriage but a piece of paper and a formal announcement? I think I've preached this to no end to many of my acquaintances. Marriage has no weight at all compared to the bond that you form with your companion. It doesn't denote anything any more than a diploma determines the amount of knowledge you have acquired through learning.

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?

Definitely. The most important aspect of any relationship is communication. Often, people don't get enough opportunities throughout the day to communicate with friends and cohabitation fixes this problem. First, it would be quite rewarding to return from a day's work to welcoming arms. Second, it would somewhat force differences to be resolved. Finally, it would allow me the ultimate method to work for her. It is my goal to make my girl the primary motivation for my existence (somewhat distorted from what most people would agree to), so essentially, she would become my religion. Cohabitance gives me a way to support her, to make her comfortable, to make her happy.

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.

Can't be a divorce if there's no marriage to begin with.

It will increase the chance of splitting up, but at the same time, it will increase the chance of staying together. The reason it will increase the chance of splitting up is that whenever there's cohabitation, both people will directly observe negative aspects of the other that they normally would not see in the public. However, the reason it increases the chance of staying together is that without cohabitance, all someone can do is date. Can't keep dating for life. ><

The way I model love is very bizarre to begin with. I have a theory that if you model the mind using Freud's iceburg theory, the human mind has the id and the conscious. As Freud models it, the id is meant to be suppressed and repressed. However, my theory is that this repression is accompanied by a repression of inner motivation, and that's where love comes in. My spouse is meant to become the 'voice in my head', someone I can consult in and trust. Bonding would make she and me one.

That being said, if a disagreement does happen, the problem wouldn't have originated from my end, because I ultimately yield for her. Why should I even conflict myself? Also, even if she caused something to happen, I may as well just end up helping to clean up the mess. But if a split-up really does happen, I would ultimately end up blaming myself and enter severe depression.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why.

It's not for a marriage. People get married nowadays for all the wrong reasons. However, it is indeed necessary for an enduring marriage. If you ever go to the park and see a really old couple walking together, you should ask how they're still together. Most likely, they'll tell you "because we love each other". And it's true, because you don't tire of the ones you love. If you do, then you obviously don't love them or you don't love them enough.

Usually if love isn't present, the cohabitance exists only for financial stability. After the stability's been built, if love still hasn't been established, then there's probably going to be little chance that the two people would stay together. Why would you stay with someone who you've seen all the defects to anyway if you didn't love that person?

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many?

I do, yet I do not. Children can be quite a blessing, yet they could also be quite a burden. I'm fully aware that girls must dedicate 9 months for pregnancy, and it dramatically changes them psychologically. All a guy has to do is the initial implantation of sperm and that's nothing compared to the investment a girl has to go through.

After pregnancy, the child would provide a source for disagreement and be troubling, psychological as well as financial investments, which will ultimately stress the relationship. Thus, I believe this matter isn't in my hands. I will leave it completely for the girl to decide, whether she wants to adopt, have children, or not have children at all. Honestly, I don't really care. I'd be fine with any of the choices and I'd fully support her decision.

1) Your age?
20. Male, also, though i doubt thats needed.

2) Do you plan on getting married?
No. I do not believe in marriage. I've seen relationships that last, ones that don't, ones where one party is being used and taken advantage of, and one where one party is controlling and abusive.

3) Are you going to have any sort of cohabitation?
If i manage to meet someone with whom i share enough of an interest in, as well as interests overall, then eventually id consider it. I wouldnt mind living with someone, but i dont need to. I myself dont like being around a lot of people, and that plays out rather ironically mentally. but thats not why i can see myself living with someone else, its because i need something to occupy myself with. A human to converse with, an animal/pet to play with and keep me company, a human that can do that as well, and just something/someone that can distract me from me. Ive been alone and reserved, shut away to my own devices for as long as i can remember. barely asking anyone for help, not speaking up for myself, speaking out against what i felt was wrong, many things. im starting to change some aspects, but others just will remain and endure. But, throughout all that; I dont like being lonely. no one does.

4) Do you think cohabitation helps to avoid divorces, or increase the chances of divorce? Explain why.
They do neither/nor. Divorces occur for a multitude of reasons, and living with another person may or may not have anything to do with that outcome.

5) Do you think love is essential for marriage? Explain why.
Not at all. Arranged marriages still exist to this day, proving that.

6) Do you plan on having children? If so, why, and how many?
Not of my own. I plan to adopt maybe one or two children. Id prefer to adopt a brother and a sister, if i could, because i would hate splitting a family apart. But i do not want children of my own. I dont feel like raising and bringing another life into this world, when there exist so many lives that are hollow and devoid of parenting. Being shuttled from one home to the next, being treated as an object instead of a human being; I want to change that for at least one kid. Show them that the world may be a pomegranate-infested cess pool rotting under its own decay, but even in that disgusting mess there is still a glimmer of hope.