“While dullness seeps in sometimes, the joy is always there. Maybe, it’s about comfort. When I am with my partner, I know I don’t stress; there’s peace and most importantly, a feeling of belongingness,” says Puja Shah, who celebrated the tenth year of her relationship with her partner in November 2021.

Shah, a 24-year-old city-based financial analyst, started dating her partner, a senior from school, when she was in Class 9. From lovestruck teenagers who initially indulged in childish fights – a pitfall of their tender age – Shah says they have grown up to be two independent individuals who do not shy away from discussing and working towards their short term goals and careers with greater maturity.