For the ninth year in a row, we’re here with the March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide as the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament gets ready to start again.

From March 15 to April 2, fans of all ages, demographics, and interest levels will find themselves staring at screens watching college basketball players do their best to get to the national championship game in San Antonio, Texas. And, while those fans are watching nearly non-stop basketball action, the people that love them may become victim to March Madness Widow Syndrome (MMWS).

MMWS can hit anyone. Men, women, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, best friends, it doesn’t discriminate. But, if you are a victim of March Madness Widow Syndrome, we want to help!

Use these 5 tips to help keep yourself from falling into lonely two week run, and even have some fun of your own while your S/O is knee deep in bracketology.

Trust us, we’re here to help…

1. Go To A Local Show!

In big cities and small towns and everywhere in between, you can find live music almost every night of the week if you look hard enough. And on those stages in those bars, clubs, and assorted other venues, are musicians who are trying to make it happen.

We’ve talked before about the power of live music, the special moments that just happen out of nowhere. Heck, if you see us out at a show or event sometime, I know we could talk about it for hours – but more importantly than that, we want you to experience it for yourself.

So, check out the Facebook pages and websites of your local spots, see what’s on the schedule for March 15 to April 2, and pick out a show or more to see!

Note: Do not be afraid to go to a show alone. There are a lot of good times to be had by going to a show by yourself and getting lost in the moments and the music.

2. Read A Music Autobiography!

There are some wild stories that artists have to tell about their lives and careers. And if you’re a fan of music, and of reading (we should all be reading more), we recommend picking up an autobiography or biography (authorized is usually better) and going along for the ride.

We pulled up Amazon.ca’s search for “music autobiographies”, sorted by average customer review, and can tell you that we’re already thinking of reading…

? Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen
? Where I Belong, Alan Doyle
? All Of Me, Anne Murray and Michael Posner
? Not Dead Yet: The Memoir, Phil Collins
? Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta Lynn and George Vecsey

Note: We can also highly recommend Willie Nelson’s It’s A Long Story: My Life, which is on my list of personal favourite reads of the last few years and shares some great and interesting stories from Willie’s life and career.

3. Go To Karaoke!

Just like live shows, there’s karaoke to be found in towns and cities of all sizes. Maybe not every night of the week, but it’s there if you look for it, or are willing to take a little trip to get to it.

If you’ve never been to karaoke, we’re here to tell you that it can be a lot of fun. Bring some people that you love to laugh and have a good time with, and it gets even better.

Remember this… you don’t have to be good, but it helps if you know the song you’re going to sing. It’s far more fun to sing a song you’re not very good at than it is to sing a song you don’t know how to sing at all.

4. Have A Lip Sync Battle!

If singing out loud isn’t your thing, you can still be a performer.

Thanks to Jimmy Fallon, LL Cool J, and Christine Teigen, lip syncs are en vogue again, and we love it. So, get your friends together, find a big room with lots of space to dance. And don’t forget to get a costume and prepare to dazzle your pals.

Pick a song or two that you know will wow them all, and have fun!

5. Play Along!

For the last eight years, this is the fifth tip on the list, and year nine is going to be no different!

If your significant other is all in on March Madness, join them! Fill out a bracket, watch some games, eat some snacks, cheer for underdogs and pray for buzzer beaters. There truly is something special about this tournament, whether you know what’s going on or not.

Plus, there’s something to be said about putting a little time and interest into the things that the person you love, loves.

So, if your partner or best friend or whomever are in love with the tournament, give it a shot with them. It really can be a whole lot of fun.

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.