For years, jocks have ruled the stereotype of the perfect man, while nerds have been pushed off to the side. Jocks were the guys that were depicted as well dressed and sexy, while nerds had pants pulled halfway up their torsos and button-down shirts tucked in with suspenders. They didn’t stand a chance.

Then, 2003 happened. In 2003, the world was introduced to Seth Cohen on the iconic show “The O.C.,” and the label of the nerd was changed forever.

Seth Cohen, played by Adam Brody, invented the sexy nerd. With his sarcastic comments, witty banter, love of indie music, obsession with comic books and his little plastic horse Captain Oats, Seth Cohen suddenly put nerds on the map as desirable and showed that they could dress well, too. Every teenage girl in the early 2000s wanted her own Seth Cohen (or Ryan Atwood, either one).

In the past decade, the status of the nerd has changed. No longer were comic books meant for geeks, but for everyone. It wasn’t uncool to be a nerd. With the rise of superhero and fantasy books turning into movies, subjects that were once “nerd culture” were becoming mainstream. Nerds have evolved into more than just “nerds” and have become jocks, hipsters, and even basic white girls. When they say that being smart and nerdy is actually cool in college, it’s true.

My friends like to tease me about how big of a nerd I am because of my love for Harry Potter, Star Wars and all things presumed "geeky." They also tease me for always going for nerdy guys, but I can thank Seth Cohen for developing that taste. The reason I always go for nerds is because they don’t think they’re too cool for anything, but rather they’re more fun and are usually big goofballs. They’re not afraid to be who they are because society no longer ostracizes them. It’s cool to like "Lord of the Rings" and "X-Men" and to read the books and comics. In high school, it was a bad thing if you were really smart and liked to read fantasy books. In college, you’re embraced for it.

I always go for the nerd because through all the awkward years, they stayed true to themselves. They’re more open to others, and they’re usually the ones with the biggest hearts. They’re the ones who will watch "Harry Potter" with you for the millionth time, argue over whether it’s cooler to be a wizard or Jedi (I still think wizard) and be the biggest dorks with you because they don’t care what other people think, and honestly, there aren't many things more fun than playing video games with them. They care about things other than what the theme for the social is going to be this weekend. They’ll hold intelligent conversations. I’ve never laughed more with anyone than I have with a nerd, and maybe it’s because I’m a nerd as well, but they’re honestly more fun to talk to than any other guys I’ve met.

So, here’s to the nerds out there. Your time has finally come.