It’s that time of year again: cuffing season. What is that, you ask? When I asked my friends if they knew what this was, many weren’t familiar with the term but understood the meaning more because they too had fallen victim to the handcuff. Cuffing season is essentially a temporary boyfriend or girlfriend during the winter. When people who are normally single end up being tied down or cuffed, so to speak, by someone who they have little interest in, they end up settling with. This is due to the cold weather forcing people indoors, lonesome and desperate for a cuddle buddy. You engage with one another as though you are in a relationship, but once that snow disappears, so does your “cuff.”

You get in a relationship with someone because it's winter?

What could be so bad about that?

You get someone to stay in, cuddle, and binge-watch Netflix with. You could go out on dates with them, fill up your empty Instagram profile, or just have someone who you can vent too.

That all holds true about relationships, but there’s one scary fact that you might not have considered: a cuff is only a temporary relationship. While in a genuine relationship, all of these activities are done out of interest, not just boredom.

Cuffing season is essentially settling with someone out of convenience or loneliness. Does that sound like a fairy-tale that you could someday tell your children? That’s because, unfortunately, chances are this relationship will expire as rapidly as it began and in the end, someone is going to end up heartbroken. Knowing this, why would you allow someone to take advantage of you in such way?

Don’t become a victim to the cuffing season. Here are four ways not to:

1. Get a heated blanket: The cold, negative-degree weather that comes creeping along with winter is by far the worst part of the season. When you finally get home from work or school, the only thing that could help offset your dreary mood is staying home in the comfort of your bed. You’re cuddled up in bed but the frigid weather is still nagging you. Put down the phone, you don’t need a cuff to cuddle with because you can flip the switch on your heated blanket. The warmth will immediately radiate, diminishing your longing for a cuff. Plus, your heated blanket doesn’t incessantly interrupt your Netflix show.

2. Begin a Netflix show: What harm has ever come from watching a new show on Netflix? That’s right—none. Netflix pairs perfectly with your newfound love (your heated blanket) and gives you a reason to spend the night at home. Besides, without a cuff, you’re free to binge-watch "One Tree Hill" whenever you please, and there is no guilt of Netflix cheating involved whatsoever. Along with the independence to watch whenever you wish, you can live through the actors’/actresses’ relationships without suffering through an insincere relationship.

3. Get out and do something:When it gradually gets colder and colder, I often find myself spending more time at home on the couch than I like to admit to. It’s hard to get out and do things when you’re forced to layer yourself with jackets, boots, mittens, and more before leaving the house. In the summer and springtime, I grab my purse and head out the door with the sun illuminating my day. Having downtime once in a while is healthy, but eventually the solitude becomes lonesome. Instead of temporarily fixing the isolation with a cuff, join a club or get a job. Find something to occupy your time that will benefit you in the long run. A temporary boyfriend/girlfriend is like putting duct tape on a hole in a boat; it will only repair the problem for a short time. Joining a club or getting a job can benefit your resume along with occupying your time. In addition, you could find yourself branching out and as a result meeting people you might not have before. You could find yourself creating long-lasting friendships. And what friend would want you to be lonely? Instead of sharing your cuff to Instagram followers, show them how happy your new friend makes you.

4. Start a journal: Journaling seems somewhat lost upon our generation with Twitter and Facebook to express all our feelings, right? In a sincere relationship, one will find themselves making more than just small talk with their significant other. In that relationship, one will be truly interested in what is on their partner’s mind. Having a companion means that you can vent to them. A cuff might listen to you during the cold season, but truthfully, their intentions aren’t authentic. Journal down your thoughts to get them out of your head and relieve your stress.

So grab that blanket, journal, remote, and cuddle up in bed, or get outside your comfort zone, all while escaping the desperate cuffing season. In the end, while everyone else will end up heartbroken, you'll have built your resume, friendships, and caught up on all the newest shows.

Make this a happy, not heartbroken, cuffing season!