It's Awesome to be a Nerd!

Anyone who has interacted with me for any length of time knows that I am very much in tune with my emotions. It should surprise no one that when I took the StrengthsQuest that "empathy" was one of my strengths, in addition to input, developer, intellection, and context.

But StrengthsQuest is not the topic of this blog. That will be later this week if I remember to write it.


Let's go back to that "emotions" part.

Specifically, let's talk about the part of me that loves things so much that some people in my life have told me that I'm "odd" "weird" or a "freak."

I'm of course talking about what I would call the biggest part of my personality...the part where I'm a nerd.

As part of my diversity course this semester, we had to identify subgroups that we identify with and the challenges/struggles we have faced due to that. I took a very non-traditional route and talked about being a nerd and how that subculture really has been a struggle in my life.

Well. Not has. Had. Let's use past tense...because this area of my life has become something that I embrace and love.

I've written about being a nerd SO MANY times before but it's something that keeps coming back. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that I can make a reference to Pokemon and my friends understand it, go with it, and expand on it until we're all discussing which type of Pokemon we would use to battle each other.

The inspiration for this comes from a video I saw today of Wil Wheaton speaking to a fan's child. The fan's child is a baby, and these were words for her future.

It's not about what you love...it's how you love it. This was the theme of his advice, which is what stuck out to me. And it's true.

I am not a nerd in all of the stereotypical ways. That doesn't make me LESS of a nerd. Just because I don't know much comic book lore and instead enjoy literature and history..doesn't make me less of a nerd. I fangirl and love those things just as much as I love nerdy things like Star Wars or Star Trek or Doctor Who.

I'm so thankful to be a nerd. The fact that high school wasn't a fun place for someone as nerdy as me is completely overshadowed by the fact that I have so many friends now who appreciate me BECAUSE I'm a nerd...not DESPITE of it.

It really is pretty freaking awesome to be a nerd. I wouldn't have it any other way.