How To Do Cuffing Season The Right Way
/Autumn is here and so is the annual mating season known as “Cuffing season”. The nights are getting colder, going on dates outside seems less desirable and the feeling of staying in and binge watching shows together becomes stronger.
Cuffing season, the term used to describe daters who couple up rapidly between the months of October and February has recently trended in the dating sphere.
To save yourself some heartbreak, here are our tips on how to survive cuffing season the right way.
Date on your terms
It can be very tempting to date someone for the sake of it, especially when it’s the season where your family interrogates you about your love life. The notion that single = unhappy is an outdated one and for a lot of our families, they are used to seeing it from their side. Remember your happiness doesn’t equate to everyone else’s.
If you’re dating casually during cuffing season, don’t feel pressure to move quicker than you normally would just for table talk.
Go at your own pace
If the new person you’re dating is looking to get “cuffed up” sooner than you want, don’t feel pressured to agree. The fear of missing out can trigger people to accept situations where normally they wouldn’t . For example, seeing happy couples on Instagram all cozied up, could persuade you to say yes in moving your relationship to the next level but is that what you truly want? Or what you think you want?
Don’t make decisions on temporary moods
If the change in weather affects your mood, it’s wise to avoid making any romantic decisions when you’re down. You could be looking for comfort temporarily but the person you’re dating could be looking for something longer.
On the other hand, if a partner is love-bombing you, it’s better to be cautious. Love-bombing is when your new partner showers you with lots of affection at the start that you get swept up in the moment and jump in too fast.
Trying to find a fine line between both is hard so trust your instincts, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
If you experience a change in feelings, remember to communicate
Despite it being cuffing season, you could genuinely find yourself in a good relationship. At any point, if you feel like the relationship is no longer working out but want to hold onto it till the summer so you’re less lonely, that’s a bad sign. In the meantime, your partner’s feelings may deepen, making the eventual breakup even harder.
As long as you’re both honest with each other about where you see your relationship going, you know you’re both on the same boat and it’s not a surprise to either of you.
Look after yourself
Just because it’s cuffing season, doesn’t mean you need to avoid dating all together. It can be a fun time to explore your options, whether it’s offline or online. In fact, Match.com reported, peak dating season is between the end of Dec to Feb 14th, so you’re more likely to find someone in these colder months than any other season.