We've definitely skipped ahead long enough to miss some fairly big events. None of them had to be shown unless there was some particular drama. Like others, I'm hoping that we didn't miss any cute declarations, though! FWIW, I'm sticking with three to six months, making the current strips no later than January or February, based on the Massachusetts winter clothing.
Has Claire moved in with Marten? Maybe; if she has, I'll expect Jeph to specifically say so at some point soon.
She's definitely been made a TA, though, which confirms, in my view, that she's in final year. I wonder how she feels about all the undergraduate students who are doing Bachelor of Library Sciences as an 'easy, no work' degree to let themselves slack off at college?
For the record, I, personally, am repulsed by those ear-stretching things.