Up Cuffed and Personal: The Real Deal Behind Cuffing Season

Eboni Bryson | Correspondent 

As temperatures begin to cool down on N.C. State’s campus there are two things on students’ minds: staying warm and finding someone to cuddle with during chilly football games at Carter Finley Stadium.

Though many people associate fall with hunting and football seasons, for students looking for love, this time of year is better known as “Cuffing Season.”

Social media users have fully embraced the idea of Cuffing Season, however those not familiar with social media or the term have questions. In particular, what is cuffing season?  When does the season officially begin, and, most importantly what does it take to get cuffed?

Defined by UrbanDictionary.com as the time of year in which more people are ‘talking’ and going out, Terrence Nelson, a senior double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering offered his personal theory on Cuffing Season saying,  “[It’s] the start of relationships and dating.”

Cuffing Season is not just recognized by college students. In an interview with the Washingtonpost.com, Niles Paul, a tight end for the Washington Redskins gave his personal definition of cuffing season. According to Paul, “Cuffing Season is basically the winter time where you get you a girl that you call your girlfriend, and that’s the one… That’s the main one, your one and only for the season.”

Offering up the female perspective of the season, freshman student Jasmine Richardson said, “ [Cuffing Season] is the time of year when everyone gets together [in relationships] because it’s cold.”

The origins of Cuffing Season are linked to Dennis Joseph, creator of Toy Sldrs Clothing Line. Joseph, who also goes by, “Cuff God,” revealed in an interview with massappeal.com that prior to Cuffing Season is a Pre-Season Cuff. “ Pre-season is towards the end of the summer…kind of like now,” said Joseph. “[It’s when] you stark looking around for people…it’s subconscious. [It’s when] people start with the ‘Hey stranger’ texts.”

In the fall of 2012, Joseph released a Cuffing Season Calendar. Since then, multiple versions of the calendar have been generated. In a calendar he released this year on his website, toysldrs.com, Joseph declared Sep. 24 as the official start of Cuffing Season. Sep. 24 is also the same day that Drake, a rapper known for including themes of relationships in his music, releases his third studio album, “Nothing Was The Same.”

The 2013 Cuffing Season Calendar comes fully equipped this year with how-to videos and an explanation of common vernacular associated with Cuffing Season, including the term, “draking” which is short for “late night drinking and caking.”

Most people, including Paul and Nelson, believe that Cuffing Season ends in the spring months. Paul said that he usually “gets rid of his ladies, by Valentine’s Day.”

For those people looking to get cuffed this season, Vibe magazine released its top ten rules for Cuffing Season, which includes “ditching your summer fling” and “investing in NetFlix.”

Sophomore Janay Graham suggests that guys, “look the part,” and dress their best. Jermanie Jones, an alumnus of N.C. State said that when it comes to Cuffing Season girls should be will to negotiate, and “not needy.”

N.C. State Alumni Jermanie Jones claims that during Cuffing Season he’s looking for a girl that’s “beautiful, negotiable and not needy.”  Senior Qion Toney mirrored Jones’ statements saying “anyone can be cuffed,” and that ladies should be “open-minded and aware that you’re cuffed, not in a relationship.”

According to Toney, although Cuffing Season can lead to a relationship, being cuffed and in a relationship are not synonymous.  Toney said “Cuffing Season is basically for those people who don’t wanna get wifed up or in a relationship…cuffing season goes wrong when you start catching feelings but, there have been times when some of my friends have came to me in the past and say ‘Yeah, me and shawty are starting to get serious.’