Coping With Cuffing Season

With Valentine’s Day approaching quick and the winter dragging on, we’re smack in the course of “cuffing season.” You is perhaps questioning, what’s cuffing season? Why does it look like everyone seems to be coupling up? How am I alleged to be single throughout all of this?

By studying on, I hope you get some solutions to those questions!

Cuffing Season Defined

Cuffing season is a slang time period that surfaced on-line a number of years in the past and rapidly caught on. As you might have guessed, it comes from the concept of being “handcuffed” to somebody, on this case a romantic companion. The concept is that in occasions just like the colder winter months, the vacation season and Valentine’s Day, persons are extra more likely to wish to couple up.

Sadly, this will create stress to get collectively in keeping with a deadline reasonably than letting it occur naturally, typically resulting in {couples} that aren’t an excellent match. “I’ve skilled the stress of getting with somebody simply because it appears like everybody round you is in love and also you’re not,” says Megan (they/them), 15, of Kinnelon, NJ. “It’s a really lonely expertise since you’re not with an individual since you love them, you simply really feel such as you’ll be happier in a relationship like everybody else.”

The idea of cuffing season can add confusion when the concept of courting might already really feel annoying. “It’s exhausting sufficient being a mean teen with out feeling the stress to get right into a relationship, which, should you’re being fully sincere, you won’t be prepared for,” provides Megan.

The Sting of the Season

While you’re single, it may possibly really feel like there’s an expectation to seek out somebody to have a good time Valentine’s Day with. “Generally if I get my expectations up that somebody will give me one thing, I get kinda unhappy when nobody does,” says Lyla (she/her), 15, of Warren, NJ, about Valentine’s Day. “Different individuals round me throughout cuffing season don’t actually get to me, however my very own ideas and expectations all year long do.”

Some teenagers might not really feel prepared for courting, will not be into courting or might not have had the appropriate alternative. Any of those are completely OK. However seeing others get collectively could cause stress. “It’s somewhat robust to see all your pals stepping into relationships when you’re single and have by no means been in a single,” says Jay (he/him), 17, of Columbus, IN. “You’re feeling like a 3rd wheel so much. There have been occasions after I want I may discover somebody, however I don’t wish to rush into one thing I’m not prepared for with the unsuitable individual simply because everybody else is in a relationship.”

In the event you resolve to get along with somebody you don’t actually wish to be with, you is perhaps in for disappointment and damage emotions later. “I’d reasonably discover a good companion than discovering a companion only for the sake of it,” says Jenny (she/her), 17, of Bethesda, MD. Relatively than searching for a fling to keep away from being single for the season, it could be higher to take a look at the vacation season and Valentine’s Day particularly in a special mild.

Palentine’s, Galentine’s and Valentine’s

Valentine’s Day doesn’t simply should be about romantic relationships. It may be a day of celebration and exhibiting appreciation to anybody in your life that you simply care about, be it a good friend, colleague or member of the family.

One main instance is “Galentine’s Day,” which, by way of TV present Parks and Recreation, turned a widely known custom of girls getting collectively. For example, Jenny says her Valentine’s Day traditions contain “celebrating with pals and doing a Galentine’s. I’m not at the moment single however we nonetheless do that yearly.”

So this 12 months, don’t let “cuffing season” get you down. Valentine’s Day doesn’t should be about falling in love, or chasing the proper night time. It may be about exhibiting somewhat additional love and appreciation to the essential individuals in your life.

I’ll shut with some sensible phrases from Jay, first quoted above. “I’m not likely bothered by being single on Valentine’s Day,” he says. “I do know that sooner or later I’ll discover somebody and even when I don’t, I at all times have my pals.”