Freckling might not immediately make you think of dating — instead giving off the thought of freckles on a person’s skin — but, in the world of wild new dating trends, it has become a viral term that’s making the rounds on the Internet. Since there’s a good chance you have no idea what it means, we figured we’d break it down and let you know how freckling works, as well as what it means for guys.
Although freckling might be a new dating term this summer, it comes from an idea that has long been practiced — summer flings. Yep, just like that girl at summer camp long ago that you had a crush on and “dated” throughout those warm months, freckling is the exact same thing. It literally means “casually getting involved with someone over the long, lazy days and light, balmy evenings of the summer months, only to drop them come autumn, when the coats come back out and the freckles disappear again,” per the Independent.
In essence, what freckling is is the opposite of cuffing season. And, for those who forget what that is, it’s when people snag themselves a partner to cozy up with during the winter months, Netflix and chilling to survive those cold, dark, lonely days, only to break things off in the spring to be single once the warmer months hit. Talk about confusing and cliche, right?
The whole freckling term is a brainchild of AskMen, who insists that, just because it might happen to a guy, that doesn’t mean that a future relationship isn’t possible. Remember, guys, season’s change, and, according to AskMen, feelings adapt with the weather.
According to the Independent article, even if you’re freckled, the girl who breaks things off will still try to stay top-of-mind, liking Instagram pictures or watching stories on other social media apps. It’s their way of sending a little reminder that, come warm weather, they may be back. Careful for all you guys out there with boats, because this will most definitely happen.
Much like other en vogue dating trends — which has plenty of terms and definitions — freckling is one that proves the current dating landscape can be tricky. No one seems to want to commit, nor do they want to be alone, leaving people in a predicament of pulling all of these “moves” on one another. It can be a bummer, but don’t let it get you down.
If you’re looking for a relationship and not just something for the summer, do what you can to get yourself out there and meet the right girl. However, remember that she may be setting you up as a future freckling victim, so try to avoid the trap and looks for any red flags that may make it appear that she’s only in this for the warmer months — like only going to the beach, long walks at night, boating or music festivals. Hey, we’re just here to help you guys out.