What is cuffing season? The season of cuffing begins when the warm weather turns into sweater weather or when you don’t want to leave the house because, baby, it’s cold outside. This cozy indoor feeling sparks the need to find, or “cuff”, a cuddle buddy for the remainder of the cold months. Urban dictionary described it perfectly as a phenomenon where “The cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed.” Be careful who you cuff, they might cling to you like snow.

The Pros

• It’s fun! – Being cuffed to someone is like having that fun summer fling in the winter. There’s a new human in your life and you get to do all sorts of typically boring things with them that will suddenly become exciting. Don’t watch Netflix alone and avoid the chill with Netflix and Chill. Make them watch, or not watch, an overload of Gilmore Girls so they understand the new Year in the Life, which you also make them watch. Drink hot cocoa. Go sledding. Have a snowball fight. All with your very own cuff buddy.
• Health benefits of cuddling – Not only will you have a good time, but so will your immune system. Cuddling releases the hormone oxytocin, which relieves feelings of stress and anxiety while improving the immune system’s defense forces. Oxytocin also increases feelings of happiness as well as a sense of trust and closeness. It is nicknamed both the ‘feel-good’ and the ‘bonding’ hormone.

The Cons

• Cuffing just to cuff – Do you truly like the person you’re spending time with, or are you fitting Urban Dictionary’s stereotypical “desperate single”? There’s nothing wrong with filling the void with cuddles and company from anyone you can get, as long as your fellow cuffer understands and isn’t falling into unrequited love.
• Hand-cuffed – So maybe you were that desperate single that settled for the first available hand cuff in sight, and now you’re trapped. They want to see you every single day and have exciting plans for the next movie and next walk under the downtown lights, and you dread every single moment. Now, this sucks for both parties involved. Find the key and un-cuff yourself.
• The Talk – Uh oh. Too much oxytocin will eventually lead to the inevitable talk, the DTR, the Facebook status, the commitment. In our prevalent hookup culture, it is easy for feelings and intentions to be lost in a cloud of confusion. If you decide to participate in cuffing season, be careful to keep open communication about the seriousness and meaning of the relationship with your partner. We don’t want any broken hearts to begin 2017.

Collegian blogger Rachel Hamalian can be reached at blogs@collegian.com. Leave a comment!