Winter is upon us once again, so it’s time to rearrange your wardrobe and put away all your Summer clothes, and take out your Winter jackets and comfiest hoodies. Winter also brings around cuffing season once again.

So what actually is cuffing season? The internet’s favourite dictionary for new slang terms, Urban Dictionary, describes cuffing season as a period of time where generally more promiscuous people will look to enter a committed relationship due solely because of the Winter season.

As we all know when it comes to the Winter season, nights out suddenly stop, music festivals don’t take place, and clubbing is a big no-no. Basically, every social activity you can think of almost ceases to exist for three months of the year.

People tend to be less social, and generally want to be home where physical warmth is a possibility. This is where cuffing season comes into play. As much as we want to be physically warm and alone during the Winter season, we tend to also want the metaphorical warmth of a dedicated relationship – as well as someone else to be at home with while we basically do nothing but binge Friends and The Office.

I myself while researching this piece came to the realisation that every relationship I have ever entered in my adult life all began in the Winter months as opposed to Summer, a season where I would much rather be single.

Winter definitely has me home a lot more and gives me time to reflect on all my friends in committed relationships, and forces me to ask uncomfortable questions to myself. Questions such as “why can’t you be in a relationship Mansour?” Or my personal favourite which  my psychologist and I discuss often, “do you enjoy being single?”

To both these questions my answer would have to be this: I have no idea why I can’t be in a relationship and yes I enjoy being single… but not during Winter.

For those who are still critical about the cuffing session phenomenon, let’s take a look into the actual psychology behind it all. Psychology Today is the world’s largest mental health and behavioural science publication, with contributors who are actual psychological professionals. Therefore their analysis into cuffing season holds more weight than a single male with a Bachelors degree in communication… I’m talking about me ladies.

Ph.D. Andrea Bonior, a psychology professor from Georgetown University in the United States delves into Cuffing Season in her piece, ‘Why winter is Cuffing season.’

“Some evidence indicates that there may be something to cuffing season. Facebook has released data about what people purport as their relationship status, and it does indicate that the Winter months reflect more people changing their relationship status to in a relationship.”

You’ve heard my opinion and you’ve heard what Dr Bonior has to say. What are your fellow women who believe in cuffing season saying?

Melis Colak is a 24-year-old Quality Coordinator at Lendlease. Melis sees Winter as a month of hibernation for individuals.

“Summer is generally associated with being a party season, and there’s plenty to do in those long, warm weather days,” she said. “However on the flip side during Winter, people tend to hibernate at home, and have less to do because of the weather, making people realise they don’t fancy being alone and therefore start to desire a relationship. Plus, Winter cuddles are fucking awesome.”

A similar sentiment was shared by 32-year-old dental nurse Olivia Babb who prefers a relationship in Winter rather than Summer.

“Everyone locks down in Winter, no one wants to leave the house,” she said. It’s cold at night so naturally, I’d prefer a warm body next to me in Winter rather than a sweaty Summer!”

A sense of loneliness can also come from being stuck at home during the Winter months, a statement backed by 21-year-old bank worker Jacinda Fittler.

“In Winter people tend to not stay out as late and spend more time at home,” she said. “Therefore our social life is affected and we can feel lonely and crave a relationship.”

Melis, Olivia and Jacinda all make good points. One thing all their statements have in common is loneliness.

Word of advice for those feeling the effects of cuffing season: Do not (and I repeat, do not) enter a relationship in Winter if you would not enter it during Summer.

However, if you’re looking for some temporary cuddles, may I suggest hopping onto Tinder and finding someone else who wants a casual fling during cuffing season.