If you're one of the few who hasn't fallen into the trap that is HBO’s Game of Thrones, I applaud you. It was just a week ago that I was one of you: innocent, unsullied, unburdened - and then season 6 dropped and I couldn't scroll through my Facebook without seeing articles and little *SPOILERS* on people's posts. I had to know why this show had such a cult following; to be part of this phenom that is Game of Thrones. I knew common things before starting: “Winter is coming", a terrible boy sits on the iron throne and everyone wants him dead, and there's a girl with dragons. That was the extent of my knowledge. And then I started watching.

And I finished season 1.

Then season 2.

Season 3 was over so quickly.

I only had two seasons left before I'd be current; starting season 4 tonight couldn't hurt right? Wrong.

I may have screamed a little when I finished season 5 and realized not even a full week had passed.

And I realized, as I watched the most recent episode of season 6, that I had experienced all of the five stages of grief over the course of the week without even knowing it. Let me explain: The stages of grief are something that someone typically goes through after something traumatic happens. GoT is a traumatic rollercoaster of death and cliffhangers, but let me break it down further..

Denial - I thought this show wouldn't be as good as everyone says it was,

It is. It is and it's so much more.

Anger - at not having enough time to just sit and watch. and watch. and watch like

You will make time.

Depression - because you know you should be doing that project you’ve known about since the beginning of the term, but…

What will one more episode hurt?

Bargaining - “I’ll do that that thing I said I would do on Tuesday after the next episode, I promise!”

You won’t. You'll start a new episode without pause.

Acceptance - Knowing that there is nothing you can do until you've watched every episode.

And then it’s over, and you're all caught up and you understand. You understand why everyone wanted Joffrey dead because you felt the exact same way. You cried for Khal Drogo and Daenerys, and you couldn’t decide if you liked or hated Sansa Stark until you had no choice but to root for her. You associate with a House and you hate their enemies like they are your own. You start believing in their causes, and supporting them like you would your friend’s. And on Sundays when the new episode comes on, you'll clear your evening because Game of Thrones airs at 9pm on HBO.

*All gifs from giphy.com