The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and to quote Fabolous, “summer hoes are turning into winter wifeys.” While hookups and flings are often attributed to the warmer months of spring and summer, winter brings commitment and staying in to watch Netflix with the same person every weekend. As colder weather arrives, people are less likely to go out and meet new partners. The result is cuffing season, in which people theoretically scramble to find a significant other so they are not alone all winter.

Some students are excited and looking to get cuffed, while others dread the idea of everyone rushing into winter relationships. CAS junior Libby Torres groaned and said, “Ugh, don’t remind me,” when I brought up the topic. But are NYU students actually rushing to get into relationships before the first frost?

To many, the phenomenon is very logical.

“It gets colder, so you obviously want to be next to someone,” Tisch junior Rogelio Martinez said. “I think of it like in an evolutionary way and how people have always tended to band together for safety. But the city that we live in is so emotionally cold that it can be difficult.”

Statistics show that monogamy really is a trend in the winter: the most popular month for dating sites is January and more people change their Facebook relationship status in the winter than in the summer months. This is most likely not due to biological reasons but rather to social pressures, as we are often bombarded by questions about our love lives over the holidays.

Tisch junior Sam Stulin doesn’t find the issue all that deep.

“I don’t believe in the whole cuffing season thing,” Stulin said. “People just look sexier in the summer. They look better and more dateable in winter clothes.”

Other students give the phenomenon more credence.

“I believe in it,” said Tisch senior Lewie Kloster. “It’s prime cuddle time, and I see why it’s real.”

He assured me, however, that he wasn’t trying to cuff anyone this fall. Kloster argued that many NYU students are too busy and career-oriented for relationships — it might be cuffing season, but it’s midterm season, too.

Tisch junior Annalise van Even is also avoiding a serious relationship this season.

“I’m not trying to get cuffed,” she said. “I’m trying to live!”

For students who are trying to get cuffed this year, worry not — it is still early in the season, and there are still plenty of opportunities to meet people. Here are a few tips for finding your next beau.

1. Know what you want: what kind of relationship are you looking for and what do you want in a partner? Know where you can compromise and where you cannot.
2. Treat finding a partner like finding a good job or internship. Contrary to popular belief, love does not always happen when you least expect it, and there is no shame in putting effort into finding it.
3. Look within your own friendships and acquaintances first. Think about people from your classes, clubs and mutual friends. Ask someone you would like to get to know better on a date! If you don’t know anyone suitable, ask your friends if they could set you up on a blind date.
4. Put yourself out there! You won’t get cuffed if you never leave your room. Go to parties you’re invited to, study in communal areas, attend club and university events.
5. Don’t be afraid to swipe. If you’re not looking for a total rando or a European tourist, apps like Tinder and Bumble show you potential matches with mutual friends and interests, so it’s possible to find someone within the university and maybe even your own social circle.

It may seem like everyone you know is in a relationship, but don’t despair if you aren’t cuffed this fall. While it can be nice to have a romantic partner to binge all of “Mad Men” with, platonic friendships can provide warmth and positivity this winter, too.

Email Camille Larkins at [email protected].