Everyone in your family has different interests and opinions, but there are also things that everyone has in common.
However, when you identify as a hardcore fan, it can be difficult and sometimes feel isolating.
Yes, you may have family members and friends that engage with you in the same interests, such as Harry Potter and Star Wars. The thing that makes things different is that they don't consume it the way that you do.
If you're like me, you enjoy being apart of fandoms, going to fan conventions, and engaging online with fellow fans.
The difference between you and them is that they're not completely connected to their inner nerd. Even among your friends, it can make you feel out of place.
Family and friends constantly teasing you about your intense love mean no harm, but sometimes it doesn't feel that way.
There are times when you feel like ending your fandom days and enjoy things like everyone else. It may make you better briefly, but over time you realize it's only a small source of your joy. A large part of your happiness comes from being a nerd and it's because that's your true self. You can't change who you are, and you never should.
The constant feeling of frustration that no one understands your nerdy behavior Tumblr
To our family and friends who don't understand, we just need you to accept us as we are.
It's not a phase and it's not something you can change about us. You may never understand, but you can take the time to engage with our nerdy tendencies.
Take the time to know and understand our interests. It's the key to connecting to us as well as getting to know us better. If you learn what we like, it's bound to create a stronger connection that you've wanted.
It may also score you some bonus points if you find the perfect gift on birthdays, holidays, etc.
A large part of our love comes from our connection to characters that feel relatable to us. It's finding the representation of ourselves that makes us feel comfortable in our bodies. In addition, it's the thing that provides us with support and inspiration toward our own goals and life.
We're not expecting you to relate to our interests, but we are expecting you to respect them. Our fandoms and all-thing nerd related are passions and things we enjoy. It's the same as your love for fishing, sports, gardening or whatever you do for enjoyment.
You can't change us, but you can accept us Gifer
For many of us, it's a release from stress or our everyday life. It's the same as a hobby of yours and is far from being weird. If it is weird, then I accept it and it's perfectly fine to be weird.
If anything, it makes us unique and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Our geeky families are not here to replace you. We feel as if our fellow nerds are apart of our family just like you are. They're just the people were able to share all our common interests with and have fun.
At the end of the day, being a nerd is a part of our personality. As a family member or friend, the thing you want most for the people you love is for them to happy.
Our happiness comes from being nerdy, so just let us be nerdy.
This is the feeling that we want. Thank you. YourTango
Others may not fully understand nerds, but eventually, you learn to embrace and accept your inner nerd.
You're never going to please everyone and that includes your family. They may never come around and understand your love and need for all things geeky. Just remain true to yourself and keep going.
Many of my friends have complimented me on being myself without caring about what others may think.
The embracing of being true to nerdiness is not something that came overnight. It still takes work for me to remember not to shy away from being a fangirl and just show the world my passions.
Once you began to fully accept your identity as a nerd, you learn that it comes with a lot of benefits.
Learn to roll out alone like BB-8 GifMe
As a full-time fandom member, you have the privilege of having first access to information about your favorite TV show, book, or movie series. Due to your fangirl behaviors, you're constantly aware of spoilers, release dates, and sneak peeks. It's the reason you're the first source for information on these things for your family and friends. It's a reminder to those people that think you're weird, that your knowledge is useful. They may not realize it now, but they may soon realize your advantage in the future.
In additions, our love for these interest as fans has led to us finding our passions in life. I discovered my love for writing through reading and writing fanfiction over the years. My time in fandoms has allowed me to realize that many more stories need to be told especially for those lacking representation. Fandoms are things that have led us to our careers or being able to create brand new ones.
The best benefit of identifying as a nerd is the happiness that it brings to our lives. Continue to enjoy fan conventions, even if you can't attend. Watch your favorite shows and movies series on repeat. Take the time to read and write the fanfiction. Most importantly, enjoy fandoms.
The moment you reach this moment, you've embraced your full inner nerd. Giphy
It may feel lonely to be the only nerd among your family and friends, but always remain confident in who you are and never change. When you feel lost, just know your geeky family will always be there for you.
Never forget there's nothing wrong with being a nerd and it's the thing that made you who you are today.
Always embrace the nerd you were meant to be. You never know where it might take you.
