The leaves turn orange and begin to fall from the trees. A chill drifts down the back of your neck as you pull your coat tighter around your body on the way to work. Something feels different, but you’re not sure what or why. Change is in the air—vague, impulsive, and exciting. That change, friends, is a phenomenon known as “thirst.” It descends upon us every October like a sexy fog—nature’s way of imploring humans to attach themselves to other humans so we don’t have to spend winter alone.
We are now at the start of “cuffing season.” Urban Dictionary defines “cuffing” as the moment when “people who would normally rather be single or promiscuous find themselves, along with the rest of the world, desiring to be tied down by a serious relationship.”
In other words, cuffing season is that time of year when it’s too cold to go out, it’s too cold to meet new people, it’s too cold to do anything but lounge in bed binge-watching Netflix – and having a little boo thang to cuddle with just makes “Being Mary Jane” that much better.
Cuffing season lasts from November to March, but culturally it begins in tandem with Starbucks changing its menu to “pumpkin spice and also some coffee.” And this isn’t just some random millennial trend; it’s evolutionary history. When the days got darker and there was less food and firewood available, we had to shack up and start banging for a) body warmth and b) hopes of reproducing so offspring could look after us.
So, if you’ve noticed the major shift in the dating scene, you’re not crazy. As the leaves fall, and daylight savings time makes it harder than ever to get out of bed, the sweater weather leaves both guys and girls searching for a cuddle buddy to keep warm with during the coldest months.
Happy Boy Hunting! #HCXO