The transition from summer to fall to winter is so obvious in Chico. You go from scorching, sweating heat to piercing cold winds surrounded by yellow, orange and red.

If you wanted to find another way to tell the seasons apart, listen to your very happily single friend begin to whine about wanting a significant other.

That is what I and many other millennials are calling it today: cuffing season. ‘Tis the season to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and apparently the start of a new relationship.

It’s very common that many people would suddenly want to be in a relationship at the same time. The transition between the heat and the cold seems to do that. If you even search cuffing season on Twitter, there will be thousands of tweets from people around the nation talking about it.

There’s a reason why this is so common though. USA Today defined cuffing season as a colloquialism among twentysomethings who are looking for someone they can watch Netflix and chill with when it’s too cold out for drinks with friends.

That’s partially right. During the holidays, there are much more activities to do during the winter time that seems better to do with a partner. Christmas in the Park, Candy Cane Lane, Christmas Previews, etc. are just a couple.

Walking around the cold listening to festive music seems better with a hand to hold alongside you.

Unless you’re lucky you found the one, many of these relationships tend to end by the time Winter is over. And by Winter, I mean Valentine’s day. That’s usually the time people realize it was just cuffing season that blinded them from the love they thought they found.

If you’re afraid of being alone during the holidays or would rather have someone to Netflix and chill with for an entire Winter, maybe you should think about using this time finding happiness and love in being alone. It’s not a bad thing. Have no fear. There’s a way to stay single and still feel happy during the Holidays.

Winter Break is a mini cold summer, where most people don’t have any school work to think about because well, there’s literally no school in session. Sure, people work and do other things during this time. But for the most part, school is off the agenda for the next five weeks.

This is exactly why I love taking the time during Winter Break to recollect and find myself again. This is the time I get to do all the things I wanted to do during the entire semester but couldn’t. It’s the time I get to genuinely enjoy the time I have. This is why cuffing season never phased me and it shouldn’t phase you either.

People get into relationships during this time solely for selfish reasons. People get into it all just for that title of being in one or because they’re jealous of other people who get to enjoy the couple events that the Holidays have to offer.

Don’t get me wrong, there are people who genuinely do want to be with the person they are with at this time, it just so happens to be during the time of cuffing season.

There are friends and families that can help fill spots for your emotional needs. You don’t always need a significant other to complete the other half of that. Go to Christmas in the Park with friends, go Ice Skating with your family. Spend time with people who are there all year round. All in all, maybe it’s just best to cuff yourself.

Rachel Reyes can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion or @rachhreyes on Twitter.