Ways 'Mad Men' Fans Can Prep For The Series Finale

It's the moment that has filled us with equal parts anticipation and dread. On Sunday, May 17, AMC's Mad Men will issue its final farewell with the premiere of the series finale. Ugh, I'm so not ready to say goodbye, are you? For seven seasons, we've watched our favorite characters do several things: they've made mistakes and (sometimes) learned from them; eschewed conventions related to gender-based stereotypes which continued to be prevalent throughout the 1960s, and acclimated to an ever-changing era. There's nothing easy about bidding such an iconic series adieu, but here we are. After seven seasons, the series has continued to impress, remaining fast-paced without feeling rushed in its story arcs and character changes. FYI, I'm about to go on a bit of a reverie here, so there's a few spoilers included in case you're not caught up yet.

Over the past few episodes, we've seen monumental shifts in the fabric, with McCann Erickson's takeover leading to Joan's forced exit (so unfair!), Pete experiencing an epiphany over his life and what it means to be satisfied, leading to a sweet reunion with Trudy (aww!), and — on a very tragic note — Don Draper's ex-wife, Betty, being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Btw, can Don turn around from his irreverent and seemingly endless road trip already? We've only got one episode left, Don, it's time to bid us adieu from New York City.

As we all eagerly await the big finale, I've come up with a few ways to prepare. Let's take a look, shall we?

Stock Up On Tissues

Stock up on tissues — lots and lots of tissues! We're all bound to shed a few tears, am I right? I'm starting to tear up just thinking about it *sniff sniff*.

Get Your Fave Retro Outfits Ready

What would a special Mad Men event be without a fun game of dress-up? Get your teasing combs and high-waisted skirts ready, because this is going down.

Invite Your Fellow Mad Men Fans Over For The Viewing

Actually, even if they're not Mad Men fans, I have a feelings this finale is going to be something everybody can enjoy.

Wash Your Highball Glasses

Or any type of cocktail glass, really. You can serve orange soda out of them — I honestly don't care. It's all about keeping up with the ambience.

Reminisce & Talk It Out

For reals, I totally texted my favorite fellow Mad Men fan — otherwise known as my mom — about my solace over the series ending, complete with some teary-faced emojis. She was a great listener and also let me know she was making spaghetti on Thursday night if I wanted to come over. I did and it was delicious. In other words, every die-hard Mad Men fan knows about all the feels that come with one of the best series to grace our respective TV screens ending. Don't be shy about talking it out and reminiscing.

Put On Your Dancing Shoes

Dance out that nervous energy, or — at the very least — re-watch "My Old Kentucky Home" from Season 3 to check out Pete and Trudy's sweet dance moves.

Do Some Physical Activity Before The Series Finale

May I suggest skating?

Watch Bridesmaids

After becoming so embedded in the brooding — albeit, fantabulous — Don Draper for seven seasons, there's nothing like seeing something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from Jon Hamm by watching his comedic turn as Ted in Bridesmaids.

Binge Watch The Series

If you haven't been doing so already, treat yourself to a nice binge-watching session of the entire series leading up to Sunday's finale.

Images; AMC; Giphy (9)