1. Use it as an excuse to drink and eat fried food.
Basketball games are inevitably coupled with wings and alcohol. Use these next few weeks as an excuse to curl up in a pair of sweatpants and eat garbage.
2. Root for the underdogs.
Next to each team’s name will be a number signaling their rank in the tournament. The higher the number, the less of a chance sports experts feel they have of winning. Spend your time rooting for the underdog! And when they win, laugh at your friends whose brackets were just ruined by the upset.
3. Make a bracket completely lacking a foundation in basketball statistics.
Pick the winners based on your favorite colors. Or on whose mascot you think would win in a fight. Or how cute the butts of the players are. It’s always fun to have some stake in the March Madness action. And who knows? Maybe your strategy will give you the perfect bracket.
4. Turn it into a learning experience.
Don’t get frustrated if you don’t know what’s going on! Ask your friends. And when you’re sick of learning about basketball, watch the promos that teach you about the personalities of the players, and keep an eye out for the goofy, themed commercials.
5. Be positive.
Don’t immediately roll your eyes when you see that someone has put on the game. Even if you aren’t excited about the sport, get excited about the intensity and passion in every game, and let the excitement of your sporty friends rub off on you.