The Burden Of Young Love In A Changing Kashmir

By Aarif Maqbool

Love spreads quickly through campuses and coaching centres in Kashmir. A glance exchanged in a lecture, a late-night message, and a walk along the Jhelum feels exciting and grown-up.

Social media fuels the rush, turning every emoji into a promise.

Teenagers and young adults dive in believing love will define their lives. Few pause to ask if they are ready for the weight it carries.

What begins with laughter and long calls often ends with sleepless nights and lost direction.

Many students confuse attraction with love. They throw themselves into relationships before they have the maturity to handle them.

Possessiveness creeps in early. Jealousy grows fast. Small arguments stretch into hours of calls and messages. Days once filled with study and friendships shrink into a cycle of demands and apologies.

The sweetness of early romance slowly turns into a struggle for control.

Education suffers first. Teachers across Kashmir see bright students lose focus once they get involved. Classes go unattended, assignments remain unfinished, and exams are skipped.

A talented engineering student misses an entrance test after a night of arguments. A young poet stops writing to keep up with constant calls.

Scholarships disappear, careers stall, and years of preparation collapse in a single semester.

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