I'm dating a nerd, or so my boyfriend says, and I can't necessarily disagree with him. Throughout the course of our relationship I have learned many things. If you are thinking about dating a self proclaimed nerd, or if you are currently dating one, you may relate to a few things on my pro/con list.
Pro 1: Star Wars.
There are a lot of movies that may fall into the nerdy category, but every real nerd loves Star Wars. This means that when you Snapchat your boyfriend randomly on a Wednesday night wearing a full-body wookiee suit, he's probably not going to judge you. In fact, he may even think it's pretty awesome. It also means that he may or may not get you the best birthday present in the world, aka a super legit lightsaber.
Con 1: Star Wars.
As I said before, all real nerds love Star Wars. This means that when you tell your boyfriend that you actually enjoy the Star Wars prequels, he's going to judge you. A lot. It also means that he's going to go into a lecture and/or rant on why the prequels are not anywhere near as good as the originals. Chances are he will also make you watch a funny YouTube video explaining why "The Phantom Menace" is the most disappointing movie ever. Multiple times.
Pro 2: Being Weird.
You can literally be as weird as you want. It's a judgement-free zone because your significant other is just as weird and nerdy as you. Maybe even a little bit more. You don't have to constantly worry about what you say or do and it's nice not having to censor things for fear of being judged. If you do end up doing something really weird, it will make them think you are even cooler. Embrace the weird. It makes your relationship that much more interesting and fun.
Con 2: Video Games.
If you're dating someone who considers themselves a nerd, they more than likely enjoy playing video games. In fact, they more than enjoy it; it's a necessity. Now if you enjoy video games as well then maybe this isn't a con for you. However, I never really got into playing video games until I started dating my current boyfriend. I still can't say that I'm a die hard video game fan; however, I do enjoy an occasional round of "Grand Theft Auto" now more than I did. It's also amusing for your significant other to watch you struggle through a mind-numbingly easy game like "Worms," or a ridiculous game like "Octodad." That being said, just like Nelly Furtado, I reach a point where we don't gotta play games no more. My boyfriend, not so much.
Pro 3: Learning About New Things.
Dating a nerd is likely to open you up to a whole array of new things you didn't really know about before. If you're dating a nerd, chances are that they have one thing that they're super nerdy about. My boyfriend is really into movies and TV shows. He has shown me so many things that I never would have watched on my own. I took his recommendations and he was right; they were fantastic and I loved every single one of his suggestions. Even "Batman and Robin," much to his surprise and slight disappointment.
Con 3: Not Knowing About Half The Stuff They're Talking About.
I love hanging out with my boyfriend and his friends, but I will admit sometimes I get completely lost when they start talking about something or someone I've never heard of. This can be frustrating or embarrassing at times, especially if it's something they think everyone should know about, like what a Charizard is. But if you're dating the right person, they will understand and they will fill you in. Sometimes this still doesn't help, but at least they tried.
Pro 4: Geeking Out
To me, one of the cutest things is when your significant other geeks out about something. It really shows you just how passionate they can be and it's also adorable. Whether they're walking through a toy isle and see a cool Lego set, or they hear about a new movie coming out in their favorite series, these moments are some of the best.
Con 4: Strong Opinions
Usually your nerdy companion will have some pretty strong opinions about certain things. They will definitely question some of the more basic decisions you make. They also probably won't want to take part in such shenanigans either. While this can sometimes be challenging, it teaches you both how to compromise.
All in all, I wouldn't trade my nerd for anyone else.
