Back-to-School & Back to Dating: Why Fall Is a Great Time to Start PrEP

There’s something about fall that feels like hitting the refresh button. The air gets crisp, fall scents make a comeback, and whether you’re headfirst into campus life or finally settling into a routine after summer, everything just feels… new. Enter: “cuffing season,” and a whole new dating scene. If you’re thinking about stepping into that world, starting PrEP now is a smart move, and here’s why.

New Season, New Dating Pool

Fall is a big pivot season: students return, routines settle back in, and dating apps buzz with new faces. In fact, 65% of U.S. adults ages 18–29 have used dating apps at some point, and a big chunk say they’re most active during transitional times of year like fall. That means more chances for connections but also more chances for risk.

PrEP is a daily pill that prevents HIV with up to 99% effectiveness. It’s basically your fall reset for sexual wellness: fast, easy, and designed to work with your lifestyle.

Campus Life & Hookup Culture

Let’s be honest, college and hookups go hand in hand. A study found that about 60–80% of American college students report some kind of casual hookup experience, whether that’s kissing, fooling around, or sex. And when you toss in dorm parties, football season tailgates, and the energy of meeting new people, those numbers make a lot of sense.

PrEP helps you navigate all of that with peace of mind. Mistr, an online health platform, makes getting this peace of mind almost instant. With an easy-to-use, fully online model, you can get your sexual health journey started anywhere. Once you’ve built it into your daily routine (right next to brushing your teeth or grabbing coffee), you don’t have to overthink it.

Cuffing Season Is Real

Even if you’re not in school, cuffing season, the stretch from October to February when people suddenly start looking for someone to cozy up with, is a real phenomenon. Surveys show that over half of singles admit they go on more dates in the fall and winter compared to warmer months.

But while that fall fling might be fun, you can’t always know a partner’s sexual health history. That’s where PrEP comes in; it’s protection you can count on without relying on someone else’s choices. Mistr also offers at-home testing, which makes staying confident in your sexual health easier than ever.

Why Start Now?

Here’s the key: PrEP doesn’t protect you instantly. It takes about seven days to reach full effectiveness. Starting in early fall means you’ll be covered by homecoming, Halloween parties, and those cozy Thanksgiving break hookups.

Think of it as setting yourself up for a season of confidence. Whether you’re swiping on dating apps, navigating campus life, or jumping into cuffing season, PrEP is like your go-to fall accessory — essential, reliable, and ready when you are.

About Mistr

Mistr is a gay-owned and operated online platform that brings together doctors, pharmacists, and industry minds to provide resources and PrEP to folks in need. Instead of relying on insurance providers to approve the purchase of PrEP, Mistr cuts out the middleman to help people get their prescriptions covered.

What are you looking forward to most this fall?

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