brave alone. “For many people, the holidays conjure up feelings of loneliness, strengthening our desire for companionship. We want someone to be by our side at family dinners or at holiday parties. Someone to snuggle and watch Netflix with and sleep in with on the weekends.”
While cuffing season sounds harmless in theory, Sameera Sullivan, founder of Lasting Connections, warns against mistaking a cutty buddy for an actual long-term mate. In an MBG.com interview, she says “make sure you’re with someone you actually enjoy being with and you’re not just wasting time,” she says. “Feelings develop over time, but if you see that there are no feelings there and you don’t enjoy them, then there is no reason to settle down and commit.”
While Turecki says this desire to couple up is a normal response, it’s not always necessarily healthy. “I never think it’s a good idea to date someone out of boredom, loneliness, or convenience,” she says.
“We’ve all done it, but it never ends well—either someone gets hurt, or the relationship ends up being so subpar that it’s a waste of energy. Some better ideas would be to plan a girls’ trip or a boys’ trip, join a book club, read those books you’ve been meaning to get to, work on spiritual and emotional development, and stay open to whatever possibilities may come your way.”
Be careful out there.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.