Dear Mita,
I'm a 23-year-old man. I want to get married after finishing my studies. Though many of my female friends try to draw my attention, I don't want to get into these things right now because they might hamper my studies. But my friends say I should choose someone now, otherwise by the time I'm ready, all the good girls will be taken. What do you think I should do?
--NU

Dear NU,
The important thing is to meet the right person whether now or later. Please do not worry about the “good girls being taken away.” You will surely find the person at the right time. Meanwhile, although it is good to concentrate on your studies, it should not prevent you from having good, healthy relationships with girls.

Dear Mita,
I'm a third year student of Mathematics at Jahangirnagar University. I love one of my cousins who also loves me. The problem is, she's a year older than me as well as a year senior to me academically. Our guardians don't know about our relationship and she believes they will never accept it. She is currently waiting for her Honours results and they are pressuring her to get married but she has cleverly avoided a number of good proposals. She wants us to elope and marry but I'm a little hesitant. What should I do?
--Tension

Dear Tension,
One can elope, but it is better to do so after exhausting all other options. Parents have some normal expectations from their children and it is cruel to disappoint them. Try to reason with them and explain that this is what you both want. What you want to do is a little different and challenges accepted norms. Well, you must be bold enough to face the consequences and not run away at the first opportunity. If you both are really serious then you will surely prevail and win in the end.