Reclaiming Cuffing Season

How to remain single and still participate in the festivities

By Kinga Mozes

Sometimes we just want a boo. And not just to satisfy our ghostly pleasures during spooky season but to choke down vegan turkey with us on Thanksgiving and hold our hand when we forget our gloves in the apartment. I get it. Scrolling through Instagram, there’s not much else but girls in blanket scarves at the pumpkin patch and people flexing their partners. 

Thus, the creation of cuffing season: a series of temptations to DM back that one guy lurking in the cobwebs of your Tinder. The endless dating app options make it easier than ever to turn those messages into dates. By all means if you meet the right person, go. However, if deep down you know that the spark is not there, if the person doesn’t cause you to smile down at your phone and almost get run over by a Lime scooter walking to class, don’t force it. I challenge you not to compromise your self-growth and happiness just to have another human being to trade saliva with. 

There’s a certain glow, not from the freezing wind outside, but from within yourself that radiates when you feel confident in your own skin. Often, insecurity combined with pressure from the media can drive the mad pursuit of a partner when our energy could be better spent building up our sense of self. The most thrilling part about being in college is the amount of freedom we possess to create ourselves, no matter the season. When we have our own dreams and goals pushing us, not the presence of another person, self-discovery is utterly satisfying like the first sip of a steaming hot chocolate. Consider pursuing something new this holiday season rather than someone new. If nothing else, at least you’ll be able to avoid the awkward follow-up questions about your relationship status at Thanksgiving.