He’s Ignoring You And You Don’t Know Why — 4 Tips To Survive Football Season As A Non-Football Fan [JACK’S WORDS OF WISDOM]

The football season is here, and the only thing worse than hearing your significant other complain about his (or her -- let's be equal here!) Buffalo Bills is having him/her completely ignore you for his/her television set come Thursday, Sunday and Monday nights.

The temperatures will drop, the days will get shorter, the leaves will start falling from the trees...and your boyfriends/girlfriends/husbands/wives will slowly but surely start to dodge plans for football season.

You can't blame them. Imagine your favorite show is on hiatus after a crazy season finale/reunion (in football, that'd be that big end-of-the-season game we can't reference by name), and you're excited to see how the plot picks up. It's just like that, except with athletes, statistics, face paint and ESPN.

The natural reaction to this shift in attention is not one to be proud of, so instead of indulging that ugly monster, you're better off being supportive in your own way.

Be a Buffalo Jill (but not actually a Buffalo Jill): If your significant other is a fan of your hometown team, this should be easy. Being proud of where you're from, especially Buffalo, doesn't take much effort; what does take effort, however, is learning about the sport. Take time to learn a little bit about football so that you can keep up during the game. Watch some ESPN, buy some Bills gear, and be prepared to hit Ralph Wilson Stadium sometime this fall!

Engage in the event, but not in the game: Not everyone can make him- or herself a sports fan -- but you can find your own way to engage in football. If your home becomes the go-to spot during games, flex your cooking muscles. (If you don't know where to pull inspiration from for recipes, you're welcome. If you'd prefer to skip the cooking and make it a happy hour, here you go.) Turn the social aspect of the game into something you'd enjoy. Odds are, somebody there is probably in the same boat, so enjoy it together.

Take advantage of the "me" time: You don't necessarily have to spend these nights with your significant other. If he or she is watching the game, take advantage of the solitude you get. Sports fans consider watching these games recreation after a long week or day, so you should do the same. Go to the gym, go shopping, or do whatever it is you haven't been able to all week. Sometimes the time to yourself is all you need, and you'll go home to a happy partner (as long as their team wins).

Find something to like about Sundays (Thursdays or Mondays): Don't just mope while the game is on because your house is infiltrated or because you revolve what you do around your significant other (which is really another problem we're not prepared to deal with right now). If you're not into engaging or into alone time, make a ritual with your friends on these nights. I don't care what it is -- just do something.

Have a silly or embarrassing story, or some good advice, you want to share with readers? Email your stories to angela.stefano@townsquaremedia.com, and you could be featured in Jack’s Words of Wisdom!