It’s that time of the year again when leaves start to litter the streets, the temperature drops below 90 degrees, Starbucks launches its fall drink menu, and couples are happily strolling hand in hand. You go on social media and see couples going on cute fall dates or posting their soft launch at a pumpkin patch. Meanwhile, you are scrolling through these posts, wondering if you are missing out by being single this fall. Well, that feeling of despair must mean that Cuffing Season has finally arrived.
Now, what is cuffing season?
Cuffing season is when single people go on the hunt for someone to spend the holidays and cold weather with. So, many of us feel that we need a relationship, especially during the fall, and that being single almost feels like a curse. When in reality, being single is an opportunity to lean into your independence and spend quality time with your friends.
Rom-coms usually begin with the main character starting off on a journey to find herself and creating lasting memories along the way. Let this be the start to your rom-com, where you start to romanticize the small things in life and make the most of fall. So instead of stressing about finding someone to be with, here are some ways to survive (and thrive) this cuffing season.
1. Host a Cozy Fall Movie Night
Grab your roommates, friends, or pets and get ready to plan the ultimate cozy night. Stock up on popcorn and create your lineup of seasonal movies. You could do “Halloweentown” and “Hocus Pocus” for nostalgic vibes, or “You’ve Got Mail” for a rom-com touch. You can even have a heated debate to decide if “The Night Before Christmas” is a Halloween or Christmas movie.
Once you’re done enjoying the cozy indoor vibes, it’s time to take advantage of Gainesville’s fall scene.
2. Explore Local Fall Festivals
Going to local fall festivals is a fantastic way to explore the Gainesville area, so here are a few options. On October 11th, Bo Diddley Plaza will host The Great Pumpkin Bash; they will have food, games, a pumpkin patch and a pumpkin carving contest. The event is from 12 pm to 5 pm and is about a 10-minute drive from campus. From October 4th to November 2nd, Crossroads Farm & Apiary will host their fall festival, and it’s about a 25-minute drive from campus. They will have a pumpkin patch, hayride, crop maze, games and more, so bring your friends and make a whole day out of it.
Those pumpkins you got from visiting a local fall festival are about to come in handy!
3. It’s The Great Pumpkin (Contest)
Pumpkins are a staple for the fall season because they are a fun and easy way to decorate your space for the holidays. Grab those pumpkins you got from your pumpkin patch trip and host a pumpkin painting contest. Judge all the pumpkins with your friends while you laugh at the disasters, admire the creative ones and have something cute to put by your door.
After a friendly competition, it’s time to slow things down and have some snacks.
4. Picnic Taste Test
Eventually, when the temperature cools off in Gainesville, a picnic at the park or in the Plaza of the Americas is in order. Your picnic with friends can turn into a taste test potluck where everyone can bring a fall snack and rank them as a group. I know there is a Trader Joe’s snack you have been wanting to try, and this is the perfect excuse. A picnic with tasty snacks is the perfect way to romanticize your life and get those “cozy fall picnic” pictures we see on Pinterest.
Since no fall is complete without cozy drinks, take the fun on the road with a seasonal caffeine adventure.
5. Sip Your Way Through Gainesville: Coffee Crawl
Gainesville is home to so many different coffee shops, so for this next activity, you are in charge of picking the best one. Throughout the month, you and your friends can do a fall drink crawl at different places like Pascal’s, Karma Coffee and Foxtail Coffee Co., and rank the drinks you’ve had at each. You can even rank the study environment at each; who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite study spot.
Now that you’ve tried all the local coffee spots, it’s time to grab your friends and make “farmers market Saturdays” a cozy new fall ritual.
6. Farmers Market Finds
Every Saturday from 8:30 am to noon, there are the Alachua County Farmers Market and the Haile Farmers Market. Going to a farmers market is the perfect place to get seasonal produce, try local baked goods, or just wander with a coffee in hand. You can even challenge your friends to pick random ingredients and then cook something together later.
After all that food and exploring, let’s capture the fun because what’s fall without a little photo evidence?
7. Stage a Silly Fall Photoshoot
All these fall activities are a great time to take cute candid pictures, but we’ve all seen those videos of people taking awkward family pictures at JCPenney. So, force your friends to thrift funny outfits and host a silly fall-themed photo shoot. Sometimes we just need an opportunity to not take ourselves too seriously, so here is your pass to go take horribly hilarious photos with your friends in a pumpkin patch that you can look at and have a good laugh.
Romanticize Your Fall
Sometimes we get so focused on other people or things like exams or grades that it can be hard to pause. I encourage you to make time for yourself this fall because our time here at UF isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Being burnt out makes life a lot harder, and we don’t want to give ourselves anything else to worry about. Fall is a season that feels very cinematic, and leaning into that feeling can help us to slow down a little. Take a solo walk through campus with music playing on your headphones like a movie montage, grab coffee with your friends and have a study session like you’re in an episode of Gilmore Girls, or go to BJ’s Brewhouse and try to finish a pizookie with your friends and laugh until your stomach hurts. These are the moments that really matter because they are the memories we will reminisce on years from now. Whether you’re sipping lattes, strolling through a farmers market, or laughing through a silly photo shoot, remember: you’re already the star of your rom-com. No partner required. This season isn’t about finding someone; it’s about finding joy in what’s already around you.