I live in Chicago and for those of you who have never visited the Windy City during the winter it is freaking cold! I won’t get into the specifics but we have this crazy thing called the “Wind Chill Factor” that says how cold it feels outside when you take in account the wind, which is always at least 5-10 degrees colder than the actual outside temperature. Add in the snow, which inevitably turns to gross dirty slush, and you have a situation where most people don’t want to leave the warmth and comfort of their house between December and March.

If you live in a part of the country where this is the unfortunate situation during the winter months then, like me, you might be experiencing a lack of motivation when it comes to meeting people and going out on dates. During the summer so much is going on, which makes it much easier to remain in a constant social mindset; however, during the winter, our tendency is to go into Hibernation Mode which is often times a difficult mindset to reverse. Your friends that are couples might opt for a quiet night at home instead of going to the bars, and people who don’t live near you may decide to go out in their neighborhood because of the hassle of travel. What this is all means is that there are less imminent opportunities to meet people and be social during the winter.

Additionally, when it comes to online dating, it seems to me that less people are interested in talking since that social edge they road just a few months ago has been covered by a sheet of snow and ice. However, I would submit to you that the winter is the best time to go out on dates since the extra commitment it takes to live up to plans usually signifies that the other person is actually interested in you and not just going out to go out. So don’t let yourself take the easy way out and let the nasty weather outside be your excuse for not remaining active and trying to meet people. Just remember: Sitting in front of a fire with someone else is a heck of a lot better, and warmer, then sitting in front of one alone.