Author: Vikul Chabbra

Love is much simpler when you’re young. As we get older, love gets complicated. It becomes more complex, more intricate and MUCH more delicate. Falling in love is harder. Letting go of past loves is even harder than that. Why is this? Why doesn’t love get EASIER every year? This would make more sense. And the truth seems unnatural — backwards, even. More wisdom and experience should make it easier for us to find love. And, believe it or not, falling in love is partly a decision. Love isn’t magical on its own; we make it magical. With age, that…

To my mind, a highly intelligent date who manages to convey those smarts in a casual and laid-back manner — read: not arrogant or obnoxious or flashy about their enormous brain — is a dreamboat. Comfortable with their high IQ without being condescending about it? How rare, how intriguing, how immensely appealing. At least according to me. According to science, however, this particular confluence of traits, uncommonly high intelligence and an easygoing attitude, may actually put off prospective romantic partners past a certain tipping point. Honestly, this strikes me as very rude. Researchers at the University of Western Australia corralled…

If you’re a relatively intelligent person, two things are likely true: you socialize less than your peers, and you have anxiety about whether or not that’s normal and sane and acceptable. As most of us already know, intelligent people tend to be more anxious than others and also are more likely to have social anxiety, as they are more perceptive than the average person. However, a study published in the British Journal of Psychology has demonstrated that this often goes even a step further: highly intelligent people actually prefer their own company, and there’s a pretty interesting reason why. First,…

Once you hit the 25 mark, age starts becoming a real thing. But instead of freaking out about the impending crows feet and the giant responsibilities that come with adulting, instead find ways to embrace getting older. Sure, you might not be able to slug vodka with no chaser like you used to. And if you attempt to do so, you may wake up with a hangover so large that you swear you’ll never even think of stepping into a bar again. Or maybe coming home at midnight (rather than rolling up at the club) seems like a more likely…

You know how you’re always talking about how you hate everyone? The thing is, the older you get, the more real this is. True story: I don’t really have friends anymore. I’m super close with my family; my siblings and two of my cousins are my best friends. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you may be wondering why the older you get, the more you hate everyone (or, rather, why more people get on your nerves). I’m here to tell you a personal tale. I used to have a ton of friends. I confided important things in…

The other day, I was at my grandpa’s house. My cousins and I planned to visit him because he hadn’t been feeling well as of late. We sat around his bed, listening to stories from when he was young and stories about how easy we have it today. My cousins pretended to listen — they asked him questions and nodded occasionally — but I knew after one look at them that they were all drifting off to other worlds in their heads. Drifting off to any world that didn’t involve listening to their old grandfather tell antiquated, irrelevant tales. I…

Getting older can be a scary prospect. Each birthday brings on moans of “my life is over,” and “the end is nigh!” (Or maybe that’s just me, and maybe I’m just dramatic.) But trust me when I say there are definitely a lot of perks when it comes to getting older. Think of your grandma who always speaks her mind, or your awesome mom who has unshakable confidence. Don’t you want to be like them? It’s good to have role models when it comes to aging, because we definitely aren’t getting good vibes from society. Commercials constantly bombard us with…

Aging is inevitable for everybody. And most of the effects of aging have to do with how our bodies work. But beyond the obvious symptoms of aging bodies, from white hair on your head to less elastic skin, there are more unusual symptoms that crop up as the body gets older. And frankly, some of them sound way more interesting than how our bodies worked in our youth. (I’m kind of excited for how my taste buds will change when I’m older, TBH.) These ways your body changes as you get older aren’t talked about all that much, but they’re…

If you’re aiming to be with your partner long-term, there’s almost nothing more useful than learning what healthy communication in a relationship looks like. Knowing how to communicate with your partner in a clear, honest, and mindful way is a tool you can use to help you better navigate conflict and convey your feelings — which is key for making things work in the long run. “Communication is the lubricant in the gears of a relationship, which is a dynamic thing that is something bigger than the people involved,” Jude Treder-Wolff, LCSW, licensed psychotherapist, tells Bustle. “When communication breaks down…

Trying to communicate effectively with your partner is a noble cause. Still, many couples end up having avoidable relationship problems even when their hearts are in the right place. These communication mistakes in relationships are easy to fall into, and can destroy your connection with your partner if you aren’t careful. Luckily, relationship experts have learned to identify them. Of all the issues you may have in a relationship, messing up communication is one of the most serious. “When you can’t communicate with your partner, you are opening the door to misunderstandings and creating distance,” board-certified psychiatrist and dating and…