October arrives with the promise of transition, whether it is in the first suggestion of a chill in the air, the clearer skies that follow the retreating southwest monsoon or simply the feeling that the year, having spent several months in a kind of fever dream, has begun its slow descent towards December. Autumn is setting in, evenings are shortening and winter is waiting somewhere on the other side of the calendar. It is around this time, too, that an altogether different phenomenon begins to gather momentum, cuffing season.
The term refers to the period between autumn and winter when people become more inclined towards romantic companionship, with October commonly regarded as its unofficial beginning and the season stretching through the colder months, often until Valentine's Day. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as the period when people seek a partner to spend the colder months with. It is a recurring seasonal tendency towards relationships.
The phrase is a relatively recent addition to the dating lexicon, with recorded usage emerging in the early 2010s and an Urban Dictionary definition dating to 2011. The “cuff” is generally understood as a metaphorical reference to handcuffs, suggesting that one has, quite willingly, allowed oneself to be tied to another person for the season. The expression gained traction through college slang, social media and popular culture.
There is, of course, the romance of it all, with colder evenings, more time spent indoors and the prospect of having someone with whom to share the season. Then there are the holidays, which have a way of making solitude feel considerably more pronounced. Christmas parties, family gatherings and New Year's Eve can all make the idea of a plus-one seem rather appealing.
The phenomenon becomes more interesting in the context of modern dating, where the desire for companionship can sometimes precede the question of whether the person providing it is actually right for you. Psychologists have linked cuffing season with loneliness, holiday pressure and the human desire for connection, although there is no scientific calendar dictating that October must send everyone running towards a relationship.
So if your dating apps suddenly seem more crowded this October, or an old flame starts looking suspiciously appealing as the holidays approach, cuffing season may have something to do with it. The colder months can make companionship feel more urgent, and nostalgia has a funny way of making us remember the good parts while conveniently editing out the reasons things ended. Before you slide back into an old situationship simply because Diwali is around the corner, it may be worth asking whether you actually miss the person or simply miss having someone. After all, a plus-one for New Year's Eve is hardly worth a relationship you will spend January trying to explain.
Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com
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