With memories of summer flings fading faster than their tan lines the singletons are bracing¹ themselves for lower temperatures and a dip in their standards.

晒痕还没有完全褪去，夏日的欢乐回忆就已经淡去，单身族们准备迎接降温，也准备降低他们的择友标准。

Finite relationships are beginning up and down the country as men and women prepare for what is being dubbed² as 'the cuffing⁴ season', a phenomenon involving lone⁵ rangers⁶ deciding to 'cuff³' themselves to an unwitting partner so they have someone to attend parties with and cuddle up to in winter.

随着所谓的“抱抱季”的到来，男男女女都做好了准备，短期的恋爱关系开始在全国上下各处现形。“抱抱季”是指单身者决定把自己“栓”在一个懵懂的伴侣身上，以求结伴去参加聚会，并且在冬季相互偎依的社会现象。

Many romance experts warn that if you find yourself in a seasonal-specific relationship like this you should beware of forming attachments⁷ as come spring you may be dumped.

许多恋爱专家就告诫人们，如果你发现自己正身处这样一段季节性的特定的恋爱关系之中，你应该保持警惕，不要形成依赖，因为春天到来的时候，你就有可能被甩。

An anonymous⁸ twenty-something London-based designer added: 'It's a running joke with my friends that every year around autumn time I get a new boyfriend, it's like clockwork. Guys all seem to be looking for a girlfriend in the winter, then in summer no one wants to settle down.'

一位二十出头的匿名伦敦设计师补充说：“我的朋友圈里流传着这样一个笑料，他们说每年快到秋天的时候，我就会有一个新男朋友，好像时钟周期一样。好像所有的男生都会在冬天寻觅女朋友，在夏天却都想保持单身。”

But FEMAIL Expert Tracey Cox is a little more optimistic. She says: 'It's absolutely true that people feel more comfortable being single in summer - everyone is a lot more social when the weather is good, so you're less lonely if you're not paired up. Snuggly weather makes you wish for someone to snuggle up with!'

不过，女性专家特蕾西·科克斯的意见较为乐观。她说：“人们更情愿在夏季保持单身，这的的确确是事实——天气宜人的时候，大家都更乐于参加社交活动，这样，即使你不是成双成对也不会那么孤单。低温的天气会让你希望有人能和你相互取暖！”

'But while I think cuffing is a real phenomena⁹, most people do it on a subconscious¹⁰ basis rather than deliberately¹¹ choosing relationships they assume will only last a few months. '

“不过，尽管我相信‘抱抱季’这种现象确有其事，不过，大多数人都是出于潜意识作用，而非有意识地去开始一段自己断定只能维持几个月的感情。”

'Most of us find it hard to separate our hearts from our heads. A lot of one-night-stands end up turning into long term love, even if we never expected it to!'

“大多数人都很难将自己的心和脑相互区分。很多情况下，一夜情最后都会演变成长期的恋爱关系，即使当事人自己也始料未及！”