Mid-November signals more than just sweater weather and happy holidays; it also kicks off cuffing season. This time of year — dreaded by some and adored by others — is that odd moment when you look around you and suddenly everyone you’ve ever met is in a relationship. In the month of November, three out of my four roommates celebrated their anniversaries with their boyfriends. We laughed at the irony of these circumstances, brushing it off as a mere coincidence, but after much reflection, I’ve realized there is more to it. Personally, I think the holidays are to blame.
Think about it: When cold weather creeps in, people want company and cuddles. No one (besides bakers) wants to bake or do a slew of festive activities by themselves. People want a partner to watch Hallmark movies with or drive around looking at ornately decorated houses.
Then, there is the concept of holidays themselves. Lively celebrations of gratitude and love for important people in your life, which then trickles down to romantic relationships. For many, this works out in the long run, and their love lasts long after the holidays. For others, they are blinded by Christmas lights and are destined to break up once the tree goes back into the attic.
This is especially true in college. Relationships come and go like the seasons, especially when you mix in alcohol. Festive cocktails make everyone starry-eyed, and sometimes spark the start of new relationships. For me, cuffing season sounds more like “Be My Own Boyfriend” by Olivia Dean, so I asked five Gen Zers to share their cuffing season successes.
Savannah, 21: “I was dressed like a hillbilly in pigtails and camo overalls.”
“We have been dating for over a year. We met at a bar downtown while I was dressed like a hillbilly in pigtails and camo overalls. We both had known of each other because we are from the same hometown, but never officially met at UGA ‘til second semester sophomore year. We began talking and continued to hang out, and six months later, he asked me out. “
Daisy, 21: “I thought he was handsome and had some liquid courage.”
“I saw him at a bar during the UGA vs. Texas game last year and thought he was handsome and had some liquid courage and a confidence boost from my friends, so I went up to him and started talking to him. We hung out for the rest of the night and exchanged numbers, and kept chatting for about three months. [We] would go on coffee dates, and he would cook me dinner — and then he asked me out. “
Bethany, 22: “I was excited to see where our friendship would go, and naturally, it turned into something else.”
“We’ve been dating for four years (long distance), but I first met him in high school when I moved across the country. I remember in the middle of our two-hour conversation, he left to go to the bathroom, which I thought was code for ‘we’ve been talking for so long, I’m gonna go and talk to my friends,’ but instead he told me not to move and that he was coming back as soon as possible. So I waited, and he came back. After that night, I thought I had made a really good friend and was excited to see where our friendship would go, and naturally, it turned into something else, and now I’ve been lucky enough to have been dating my best friend for almost four years.”
Emma, 21: “I broke up with my ex-boyfriend, and then I realized I really liked him.
“We started dating because we became very close while I was dating my ex-boyfriend. But when we broke up, I realized I really liked him. Then, we both got really drunk together one night and started making out in the bar I worked at, and then we started hanging out together before we started dating. “
Charlotte, 22: “We talked every day on the phone before bed for an hour or two.”
“We were in the same front group in high school. We weren’t that close until the first semester of senior year. Then, we started hanging out, and we were together for about three months, until it was time to go to college 12 hours apart from each other. We didn’t want to restrict each other’s college experiences. We stayed friends, but a month into college, he came to visit me after we talked every day on the phone before bed for an hour or two to catch up. He asked me out and we started dating.”
Whether it’s temporary or true love, there is no denying that cuffing season is upon us. Watching everyone around be in a relationship can feel isolating at times, but at least there is the joy of the holidays to cheer you up. If you do have a significant other, I hope you make the most of the festive season with them. And if you don’t, remember, friends make for great cuddle buddies and movie companions too!