In the wake of an incredibly entertaining Super Bowl, crowds across the United States are panicking over what to do with themselves now that their big event is over. Thankfully, we’re here to remind you that the Academy Awards are right around the corner; the Oscars air on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. EST on ABC.

For the one fellow who accidentally discovered this between regular sessions of hiding under a rock and never picking up a book, The Academy Awards (or as they’re more colloquially known, “The Oscars”) is an event that is hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (or AMPAS) every year to acknowledge artistic excellence in film. It was founded in 1930, and has been hosted in some capacity every year since then. This year marks the 89th Academy Awards, and it will be hosted by late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

So what should you be aware of before the 89th Academy Awards? Well, the Academy makes the nominations very accessible on their website, so feel free to educate yourself on that front. More importantly, we’re going to provide you a list of actions you can take to prepare yourself for the Academy Awards so you can feel a little more comfortable making awkward conversation with that pretentious artsy dude in your calc class.

1. The Best Picture Nominees
   1. It’s a good rule of thumb to at least see the Best Picture nominees. These include “Arrival,” “Fences,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Hell or High Water,” “Hidden Figures,” “La La Land,” “Lion,” “Manchester by the Sea” and “Moonlight.”
   2. Watching these is also smart because more often than not you’ll find you’ve inadvertently double dipped, as many films are nominated for multiple awards. Both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively for “La La Land,” and Mahershala Ali was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in “Moonlight,” “Arrival,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “La La Land,” “Manchester by the Sea” and “Moonlight” all received nominations for Best Director. There are more examples of course, but those are just a few.
   3. Additionally, several of the Best Picture nominees are related to previous Oscar winners. For example, the director of “La La Land,” Damien Chazelle also wrote and directed the 2014 film “Whiplash,” which was nominated for the 2015 Oscars for Best Picture and Best Writing in an Adapted Screenplay. It also won several 2015 Oscars for Best Supporting Actor (J.K. Simmons), Best Editing (Tom Cross) and Best Sound Mixing (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, Thomas Curley).
2. My personal advice
   1. The best animated feature category is rife with great cinema this year. “Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Moana,” “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Red Turtle” and “Zootopia” are all a great experience (“Kubo” was my favorite with “Zootopia” in close second).
   2. Don’t see a movie just because it was nominated for an Oscar. If it doesn’t interest you, you probably won’t like it due to going into the film with a negative attitude. See the movies you want to see. Sure, cinema is art, but it’s entertainment too. If you’re not entertained, something is off in that movie-viewer relationship.
3. Don’t lose your mind over it
   1. The Academy Awards are a big deal for the people involved, not for you. It is important in this day and age to participate in recurring societal practices like watching the Oscars or the Super Bowl but remember that what’s important is that you enjoy yourself while watching them.
   2. (They’re not that fun to watch if you haven’t seen any of the movies).