This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SAU chapter.
“Cuffing Season (n.) – During the Fall and Winter months people who would normally rather be single or promiscuous find themselves along with the rest of the world desiring to be “Cuffed” or tied down by a serious relationship. The cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed.” –pmack0711, UrbanDictionary.com
It’s the time of year that a majority of our campus fails to acknowledge exists. Autumn has set in: the leaves are falling, the costumes are put away, and the initial “I’m so glad to be back on campus to drink with my girls OMG!” mentality is starting to diminish. Classes are taking a toll on all of us. There is nothing more we would like to do right now than wrap ourselves in five blankets with a glass of wine and the newest release on Netflix. As much as we would like to admit that we all stay true to ourselves and cuddle up alone we find ourselves in the same place…
How you know you’ve fallen victim to the phenomenon known as the “Cuffing Season”:
- You met this random guy while you were out that one weekend.
- Somehow this guy has your number and is probably already sending you Snapchats.
- Your friends and his friends now seem to run into each other every time you’re out.
- This text may have actually been sent to you: “haha I mean we could just netflix and chill?”
- You have a hard time explaining to your roommates where and why you’re headed out on a weeknight.
- After a couple weeks you start getting the “so who is that guy I saw you with last night?!”
- You’re reading this article from the comfort of the random guy’s futon….
….while watching Netflix.
Raise your hand if you have ever fallen victim to the “Cuffing Season”.
Photo courtesy of BuzzFeed.
Prepare yourselves, ladies. You may get “cuffed” before you even have a clue. Your best girlfriends might all suddenly flock out of your house and disappear all over campus. Whether we like it or not, we’ve all been there. You meet someone. He’s great. We devote a ridiculous amount of time to this random guy from the bar, and at the end of the season they might still be great. Maybe they’re not.
But however fantastic or disappointing they may be, that is not the true issue at hand.
Here’s where we (and boys, too) are guilty when it comes to the Cuffing Season and relationships in general. Much like we did with our high school crush, we become borderline infatuated with this new person in our life. Almost suddenly our time is consumed with getting to know the person we’re cuddled up next to while watching Friends or The Office when we normally would be chatting with the girls around the kitchen table. What used to be nights full of cheap wine and dancing to Beyonce has transformed into “I’m just going to stay in with so-and-so tonight.”
We may be on the other end. Our best girlfriends suddenly disappear from our daily routine. It’s pretty obvious that being a little peeved is an understatement. Even worse, we could be bitter that our gals are out being cuffed while we sit alone in our rooms on a hot date with Blackboard. It’s not fair. He’s got her wrapped around his finger, and her schedule has been rearranged to fit him in. News flash, bro: she was OURS first.
Be honest with yourself. You’re guilty of at least one (if not both) of these. I’m no relationship guru, but I have certainly been on both ends. It’s hard to admit to ourselves that in moments of selfishness we have shoved our girls to the side. Jealousy builds a wall between ourselves and the friends that have been at our side since day one. Yes, sometimes we come across a guy that we very well could see ourselves with in real life (no matter how much we are in denial that life after college exists). In times like the Cuffing Season or whenever cupid decides to stab us with that arrow, there is one concept we need to remember: balance.
Balance your time.
School, your girls, your family, your passions, and maybe a guy. Too much focus on one aspect alone is never a good thing.
Balance your attention.
Don’t forget to text your BFF. Acknowledge that her life is still important to you too, and her problems are yours – not matter how small.
Balance your emotions.
Reminder: infatuation is not synonymous with love. Time spent together doesn’t always mean you’re headed towards being Facebook official. A break-up is certainly not the end of the world. However, remember to let those in who sincerely have your best interest in mind.
Whether you get cuffed to the next “what was I thinking?” or the one you’ll spend a solid portion of your life with, don’t forget about the ones who will always be at your side: your girls.
…and Netflix.
