The Nerd

Hey! Misnomer and Booga both showed interest in a post on this type. Click on their names to view their respective blogs!


What qualifies a guy as a nerd? Is it his obsessive love of Star Trek? What about his clothes? Does he have a pocket protector? Or does he wear glasses? I'm sure you've been in contact with The Nerd. Is he completely stereotypical (i.e. snorting when he laughs)? Or is he that cool nerd with some "swagga", all too delicious to ignore? How about we sit and chat for a while, decipher this type, and learn why you're so attracted to him.

Identifying Him


I had no idea this type was so difficult to identify until I began to really observe him. Nerds come in a larger variety than I had realized. Nerds are subjective--not necessarily all "techies" or even "trekkies". They're not all antisocial introverts. You can be a nerd in your own field, such as the things you are passionate about. However, they are still some common identifiers:

1. Invests a lot of time in things that aren't human. We all concentrate on things other than relationships, but with him, it might be a bit more extreme. He may be antisocial or the classic nerd, but plenty of nerds (and plenty of human beings) invest the BULK of their time, energy, and interests in things that aren't even remotely social. What non-human things? Work. Videogames. Music. Computer things. I'm talking about activities and subjects that consume their lives.

2. Awkward. Yes, it's a stereotype, but as I've been researching for this post, I've noticed some awkward tendencies. For example, the beginning of the conversation is always FAR MORE AWKWARD than the middle, or even the end. When you say "Hi," to some nerds, they may not say anything at all. They just show you an open palm, give you a tight-lipped smile, as they look down at the ground and keep walking.

3. Inspiring. So let's say you're a girl with a blog. Let's call you Zabrinah. And you haven't been managing your time very well. Observing possible nerds can be very inspiring. Simply being in contact with them is more than encouraging. Keeping company with nerds or anyone who happens to have an efficient work ethic is good for the soul.

4. Work Ethic. A lot of nerds know how to get things done. Many are bright and willing, eager to learn. Why? Because they enjoy what they're learning. They have passion in their non-human field, more passion than your everyday douchebag, jerk, or Mr. Random will ever have in something that's not flirting. I've had nerds cancel on me because they've had so much homework to do. Sometimes, it's admirable/inspiring. And other times, it'll make you angry.

5. Knows how to say "no". Related to their incredible work ethic, a nerd will say "no" to some typical social things do to Identifier #1. That non-human thing is just more important--his exams, his degree, his status at work.

6. Finds joy in those non-human things. It's quite cute to see a guy laugh for ten minutes on a joke relating to calculus. A guy who says, "Omega" in a text message instead of "Omg" (it's a joke that takes a while to get, but soon, you'll be doing it too). In all stages of life, we must study. We must learn new things, in which we are not automatically familiar with. Studying with a nerd is the best if he finds joy in these subjects. The jokes you can come up with will last forever.

7. Videogames. Another stereotype I must tackle. Doesn't it seem like an obsession over videogames would counteract the point about work ethic? In a way, it does and doesn't. The nerds who study hard could spend their free time playing games, because that's their way of unwinding, as opposed to partying and hooking up. But, if someone concentrates more on videogames than real life and real responsibilities, that just puts him in the category of Immature (read about him HERE).

8. The Clothes. The classic nerd portrayed in the media with the bowtie, huge glasses, suspenders, and pants that are too tight, is no longer the common. I can barely believe that it ever was. The nerds I know today are in plain clothes at best. The majority will rock a school sweatshirt most days with jeans or sweatpants. They're often casual.

9. The Glasses. Another stereotype. But, guys with glasses can be very attractive. Probably because society has told us that glasses indicate smart people when it actually indicates a visual deficiency. I will say that a lot of the nerds that I observed, especially the shy ones who hide in their massive sweaters, are glasses-wearers. Go figure.


Watch Out!


Now that I've given you some ways to identify him, The Nerd may seem appealing, but I'm not quite done. Coming to this blog, you might know what it's about. I'm obligated to warn you of what things can go horribly wrong. And sometimes, nerds can be too nerdy.

1. Antisocial. I personally believe that nerd should not equate antisocial. Those are two different things. Two different types of people. If you're falling for an antisocial guy, don't label him as The Nerd in order to justify how he is treating you.

2. The non-human aspects of his life take over. You are at the bottom of his list. And because of this, he'll have no tact. I've seen nerds break up with nerds over facebook. And then a year later, when the school work has lessened or they've won the violin competition, the same nerd is ready to pick up the relationship where it left off. Crazy, right? But he may see nothing wrong with this.

3. He could be more. He's in such a broad category that this guy could be The Nerd and The Sad Puppy at the same time (read about it HERE). Please watch out because this is the most common combination.


I believe it's safe to say that we are ALL nerds sometimes. I can't tell you whether The Nerd is a good type to fall for or not. With The Douchebag, I can firmly warn you to stay away. But with this type, I can only share what I've observed. Maybe some of you have spotted attributes of yourself in this post. I certainly have.


Love,


Zabrinah


P.S.

The answer to the Pop Quiz in the last post was E. All of the Above.
I liked all those types at one time! Shows you something about how complex/simple guys can be, huh?


Next Up: The Non-Commital Guy

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