Applying for college

This is regarding the story “Applying for college” by Manahil Imran (YW, August 1). The part about leaving school friends felt very real to me, because I have also started thinking about how different everything will be after school.

I liked how the writer didn’t make college sound perfect or scary. The admission test scene was funny. I agree with the writer that leaving people behind doesn’t mean replacing them. I think that is something I will need to remind myself when I move on to the next stage.

Zoya Shaheen,
Lahore

No-fuss mini lasagne

This is with reference to the recipe “No-fuss mini lasagne” by Muhammad Umar Shaheen (YW, August 8).

I have always thought lasagne was one of those dishes that takes too much effort to make at home, so I was surprised to see how simple this version could be.

The idea of making it in a small ramekin is great, especially when you are cooking just for yourself.

It is definitely worth a try.

Maryam Abro,
Jamshoro

II

The recipe “No-fuss mini lasagne” by Muhammad Umar Shaheen had a really nice Pakistani twist. I also liked that the recipe gives different options if you don’t have an air fryer.

I usually avoid recipes that need too many ingredients or special equipment, so this one feels like something I can actually make without asking my mother to take over.

Eman Rayyan,
Islamabad

The passenger

This concerns the story “The passenger” by Qadar Mushtaq (YW, August 22). I thought the story was going to be about a strange passenger, but I did not expect the passenger to be someone who had already died.

What I found interesting was that Naila didn’t know she was talking to a ghost and actually tried to comfort her.

That made the ending feel sad as well as scary.

Mehwish Junaid,
Hyderabad

II

The story “The passenger” by Qadar Mushtaq was different from the usual ghost stories.

The whole time, we never actually knew what the climax would be, but the writer made it exciting and engaging.

I would applaud him for writing such a unique story.

Daniyal Ahmed Shah,
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 3rd, 2026