There use to be a time when being called a 'dork' was an insult, where if you did something that others labeled 'dorky' you should be embarrassed by it, and you should no longer to it. But then again, the last time I was offended by being called a dork I was learning Geometry.
I was in my 3rd period geometry class, flying through what was suppose to be homework that I would be able to turn in before the class was actually over. I was humming the tune to the musical that I would be auditioning for in a few weeks. The wrestler sitting next to me just kept looking over at me while I tapped my pencil to the song stuck in my head as I finished the last problem.
When he finally became annoyed enough to ask what I was humming, I explained the upcoming musical, how auditions were two weeks away, how I was perfect for the part, how all I could think about was the audition, how the soundtrack to the musical was all I had been listening to, and how I would watch the musical every day to analyze the character so I could get down her mannerisms just right.
"Damn, you're a dork." he said then left.
I wasn't a dork.
I was going to be the lead in the musical. I had a 3.95 GPA. I worked on a farm taking care of horses, llama's, cows and alpacas. I was talented, smart, and a hard worker. I was not a dork.
After that, I didn't talk to anyone but my theater friends about the upcoming plays and musicals because everyone else found it dorky, and I was not a dork.
The next time I was called a dork was on a spirit day where I went all out dressing like my favorite comic book hero.
A guy in the class I was TA for mixed up my character with a more common one. I corrected him, told him that though the characters were both in the Marvel universe, he was mistaken because the character he suggested was one that had been mutated by science to become like that, and the character I was dressed as was an alien. I then proceeded to tell him that of anything if I was the character he was referring to, there is an actual female version of that character, so if anything I'd be her.
"Wow, you're a real dork." he said then proceeded to sit at his desk.
I wasn't offended by his words. I looked awesome. I had extensive knowledge of the character I was dressed as. I was proud of myself, and if that made me a "dork," I had no problem accepting it.
Urban Dictionary defines a "Dork" as, "Someone who has odd interests and is often silly at times. A dork is also someone who can be themselves and not care what anyone thinks."
If I'm having fun and being myself, I don't really care what anyone else thinks.
I'm never going to be offended being called a dork because I identify as one. I will be the first one to admit that I'm a dork, and that's okay!
I'm proud to call myself a dork.
Like is too short to pretend like you're cool.
