Nerd by choice or by force

[albertxe24 (deleted)]

which of you were called a nerd but didnt know if u were or not so just because one because that is what people called you

Nerd by Choice

[antithedoxy]

`well as a kid i was bullied, excelled in classes, had no friends, found the humdrum dribble called "conversation" that came out of my classmates mouth intolerable and as a result became a nerd... so it was a sort of force thing but i wanted to do well in school and didn't want to know the people i was forced to surrounded myself with 5 times a week, so a choice thing too..

now, it's definatley a choice thing. i could play dumb and talk nonsense with people if i wanted to. but i don't.

[shyandsharp]

Similar circumstances here, although without the bullying. It definately helped being one of the biggest built kids at the school, not the stereotypical 'nerd build' that most people would associate with the term. As a result of this I was never labelled as a nerd.

I also found the conversation of many of classmates completely unstimulating, and 15 years later would still say that still applies to the majority of the general populas.

I would say that this did, and still does, make me aspire to be a nerd and surround myself with nerd friends - so, I believe that is my choice OR possibly you could argue that I was forced to feel that way due to the way I react to my environment.

Interesting question for sure....

[neomagna_PREV (deleted)]

`I dunno, I was originally a jock with a taste in science fiction some years back. Then some guys came around, they thought they were hot-shots, ripped open my arms with some knives, and damaged the muscles inside. Now it hurts like fluffing hell everytime I throw something.

Nowadays I just excel in my so-called "nerdiness." Besides, I always believed in "brains over brawns," but I still like weightlifting. And besides, I think girls who are "nerdy" anyways are cuter. I mean, I would rather be in a relationship with someone with an intellegence equivalent of Isaac Asimov (cannot spell his last name to save my life) over a girl with the whole "like oh-mi-god" brainless-beauty queen...

So I don't mind being a nerd. So it is somewhat a matter of choice now.

[rexeasly (deleted)]

`I'm a nerd by choice. I had all the tendencies of a nerd: video games, movies, music, smart, but I never was labeled the "nerdy guy."

Around where I grew up though, most of the nerdy guys were funny as hell so they weren't considered nerdy, just funny.

[alcazar_PREV (deleted)]

Hmmm, the ever-present 'nurture or nature'-question.

I know it's the easy way out but I'd say it's a combination of the two.

On the one hand, being a 'nerd' (I dislike the term) has to do with one's intelligence and personality, and those factors are IMO for a large part influenced by one's physical and emotional make-up.

On the other hand, cultural and social factors are clearly of influence, too, especially on the subject on whether certain interests are 'conventional' (e.g. obsessing over sporting results) or 'unconventional/nerdish' (e.g. being able to identify dinosaur-species at sight). Also, the whole term 'nerd' itself with all its connotations is a mostly Western construct of the last 30 years or so, it is for a large part society's choice to label smart, 'bookish' people thus.

[miked19]

Honestly I wasn't ever really popular through out high school. I was the stoner metal kid that all the jocks and preps tried to cheat off of. I was left alone because I ignored everyone and just sorta kept to my drugs and my friends. I had lots of friends but lots of people at my school were sorta geekish. I'm not the kind to let people force me into s--- though so totally nerd by choice.

[ironpugilist]

I've always had an a strong liking for graphic novels, animation and video games ever since I was a kid. Though I played a lot of basketball and trained in martial arts, my attention would always be drawn towards any activity related to fantasy or tales of bravery. I was also bullied in High School, but mostly through hurtful words and pranks rather than physical harm.

[juzzen (deleted)]

`Wasn't bullied much at all, not the most popular but it didn't matter. Nerd by choice and i encourage anyone to be one, it's really fun

[mixedgreens_PREV (deleted)]

Nerd-ed by mom/ parenting
Empowered nerd by circumstance
Currently developing nerd by choice

Mom has been a pre-k teach since I was 5yrs old, so my brothers and I were always reading, writing, and pondering about the little train that could--- and did.

At school we weren't cool kids. Too poor to have what everyone else had, or to know anything about brands, newly released cds, video games, or the "in" thing. After a while, I couldn't connect to most people. So I retreated into books, TV and movies, school material, and physically running from it all (hence the 26.2 mile marathon).

Now I enjoy tutoring my peers in the areas I relished in while they had the social factor to deal with (writing n passing notes in class, ditching n skipping school). Ah but the mosh pits were . . . awesome!

[zilch321]

`well i think its just your intrests.... people tend to group things together because they dont understand them and dont want too. sorry to say but we all fall into that category thats why i like this site^^ sure we are all outcasts in some form but we are all alike ^^

[104lbofinsanity]

`I was pretty lucky with friends in school. In grade school I ---- out with a bunch of guys and played Digimon out on the playground and in high school I managed to find a group of awesome girl friends who shared my dorky interests. I'm definitely a nerd by choice, if not destiny. When I was little you couldn't drag me away from the TV if Sailor Moon or Card Captors was on, ha ha. You know, I don't think anyone can be forced into being a nerd, because if it was a forced thing it would end up being just a faze and not a way of life, you know?

[suzette]

Proud nerd by choice now; closet nerd for a long time.

[amithyststone]

`Well my situation is a bit of a blend between the two.

Growing up I was always the odd ball. I was naturally the complete opposite of the 'popular kids'. This really didn't occur to me until the 3rd grade when those 'popular kids' started poking fun at me. For the next 3 years I was just the quiet one that just didn't talk to anyone except the teachers. During that time I was observing my more socially inclined brethren.

In junior high is when I not only singled out for nerdiophobic remarks but also more brutal and hurtful comments of other natures. During those years I made my informed choice to be proud of my unconventional differences from my classmates. For whilst they destroyed there minds through the uncleanliness that drags down at the mass populous of teens, drugs, alcohol, s--, and other idiotic behavior. I sat on the sidelines and bettered myself for the future.
I *strove* to be out of the ordinary from that moment on. Pushing myself to break out of the social norms. Cutting out the things in my life that would define me as 'normal' in any way.

So I suppose one could say that others mistreating me pointed me down the path I am on. But I later chose for myself to embrace what I truly am, and grow as that type of person ever more.

[drklaw]

I guess I was destined to be a nerd. But then I later chose it anyway:) I was a fairly shy child that would get bullied on the bus. But in class it was somewhat better. Got good enough grades and whatnot. I remember in second grade that I read and reread this one science book that was full of biology experiments. It was the only book I read that year because all the other ones bored me.
But anyway, that was my life until the fifth grade when I transfered to a Christian school. I was actually fairly popular there. I remember getting into discussions with the principle and teachers over various things. I was always wanting to know this or that. And there were some days I wouldn't get any actual schoolwork done because I was keeping the teacher too busy trying to find answers to my metaphysical questions.
Then I was transfered to homeschooling. The teaching was harder since I was left pretty much on my own to learn what I needed. No social life either. Had to entertain myself most of the time. So I ended up reading a lot. Playing video games. Or working on my computer. The homeschooling also gave me the time I needed to actually study things I was interested in. Mostly science type stuff; biology, evolution, physics, quantum mechanics, etc... I think it was during that time I became a nerd consciously. Mostly because I thought learning that kind of stuff was awesome and fun.