We survived the first lockdown and even started to get a taste of freedom. But now winter is setting in and cases are climbing, so even if dating hasn’t been your top priority over the past few months, it probably is now. And you’re not alone. 

Cuffing season is here. If you’re not sure what that means, it’s the time of year when singles look to find a partner for the cold winter months. And yes, it’s really a thing. But is it going to be the same as pre-pandemic? No, and that’s not surprising. Dating app Inner Circle has found that if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that people are now looking to make more meaningful and serious connections with one another. 

But that’s not all that’s changed. Inner Circle found that nearly 8 out of 10 singles felt lonely or isolated during the first Covid lockdown. As a result, over half of the people they asked feel under more pressure to find a winter partner. 

So with that in mind, how has dating behaviour changed? Firstly, most of the people Inner Circle asked said they felt that dating intentions would be more honest. In a world where ghosting, catfishing or just not being clear with others online, this is certainly good news. 

With people spending more time matching and swiping, if you’re looking to date, now’s the time. It’s clear there’s a respect among daters as they look to settle down, or at least match with people they can get along and have some fun with. 

So with people dating again, it’s important to up your game. You’ll need a detailed profile and a high-quality picture of you looking great. It’s an obvious place to start, but not enough people realise how important this first stage is. Now, when it comes to your date game there are a few simple rules. Don’t kick off a conversation with something boring like ‘hi’, match with people you actually like the look of, don’t ghost people, and just be yourself. You really can’t go wrong. 

If you don’t know Inner Circle, it’s the dating app that’s for singles that are serious about dating. It ensures a quality experience through a team of experts who search the app for fakes, catfish and scammers, keeping users safe from bad experiences. The app is best known for it’s events, festivals, and parties, and although these are on hold right now, this app certainly isn’t. They’ve recently had a new look, a new logo, and a whole new app. Why? If they want you to up your game, they should too. 

With cuffing season around the corner and offline dates actually allowed (at a distance), it’s time to start dating again. Single people, it just got serious. Sign up to Inner Circle here.