Step 1: Embrace your own nerdiness.
In order for others to accept you as a nerd, you must first examine and understand the extent of your inner dork. I did this by making a list of all my favorite things in entertainment and categorizing them as “normal” or “nerdy.” If you’re like me, and you truly have no ability to distinguish between these categories, then you’ll want to ask yourself some of these questions:
Is it science fiction or fantasy?
Is it a video game other than Call of Duty?
Is it a book the does not fall in the young adult romance category?
Is it a movie known as a cult classic?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, chances are that some of your favorite things are nerdy. But don’t fret. Just because you casually enjoy something nerdy does not make you a full-on nerd.
However, if you shook your head when you saw the word “casually” instead of “obsessively” then, yes, you are probably a nerd. And if you consider your love of something to be casual, but you secretly wish all of your favorite characters from it came to life to become your best friends, you are a nerd.
It is okay, I am right there with you. Love what makes you different. Sometimes I feel better by telling myself I have a sophisticated taste in entertainment that popular culture just cannot understand.
Step 2: Form a plan of attack.
There are so many ways to approach your potentially judgmental friends. You have to pick one tailored to your situation. If they’re the critical type, you will have to slowly warm them up to your geek lifestyle. You could start by nonchalantly asking them to watch a Fringe episode “just to make fun of it.”
If your friends are accepting, you have got it easy. All you have to do is set things up intervention-style and reveal your nerdy heart to them. Who knows, maybe they will confess to having their own geeky side, relieved that you came forward first.
Step 3: Build up your courage.
Most nerds, like myself, get their courage by fueling up on some of their favorite geek culture. Load up on a few games of Skyrim, maybe even watch some Star Wars fight scenes. Do whatever it takes to make you feel like Gandalf conquering the Balrog. Your confidence will disarm your cool friends and make them question if they are the nerdy ones.
Step 4: Ask yourself if they are worth it.
You have probably spent a while worrying about how your friendships will last once your friends discover your hidden nerd. But before you go through the trouble of pouring your geeky guts out for them to scrutinize, you need to figure out why you are so scared of their opinion.
As soon as I stopped and asked myself that question, I realized how I really felt. I did not even like the people I was scared of very much. If they make you feel so uncomfortable about a few quirks, do you even want them as friends? If they will not stand by you at your nerdiest, then you deserve someone who will. There are millions of us, masked behind cool and normal facades. However, we are all waiting for that fellow nerd who will step away from their obsessions long enough to reach out and say, “Hey, do you wanna watch the season premiere of Doctor Who with me?”
