Is Young Love Actually Real?

They say you never forget your first love. No matter how much time has gone by, or how many people you've loved since, nothing compares to the first time you felt something deep for someone. The emotions are huge, you can't think of anything else, and sometimes, you can't even imagine living apart from them.

Of course, most people have their first loves when they're teenagers. That initial love you find comes well before you've full before you've fully actualized into an adult and figured out who you are and what you want. The feelings are real — and possibly even feel bigger and more important than they do when you're an adult. But all of that considered, is it possible that young love isn't actually real?

Some research suggests that teenagers may not have the capacity for all facets of love. It's not that they can't feel it, per se, but they may not be able to rationally process those feelings. In turn they may not be able to communicate their feelings properly and therefore can’t foster a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

So does young love exist? Does young love last? According to science, maybe not. Then again, there's so much more to love than science, isn't there? In this episode of Digital Love, Bustle's research-backed series about dating in the digital age, a group of millennials tell the stories of their first loves — what happened, how it felt, and what it meant to them. Check out their stories in the video above.

Executive Creative Director: Lauren Sofair

Executive Producer: Whitney Buxton

Producer: Lauren Tegtmeyer

Director of Photography: Marshall Stief

Camera Operator: Sam Cowan

Design Director: Andenew Ayele

Motion Designer: Jeff Donlan

Editor: Jasmine Velez

Video Assistant: Sasha Mahmood

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