"Am I a Nerd?" you say?

Jill_Valentine

Sacred and Profane
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
995
Age
41
Location
Dublin.
It has come to my attention that many people are...confused about their Identity. Thats understandable. Many of us are still enduring the whirlwind of hormones that is teenagerdom. But one question seems to recur. "Am I a nerd?" you ask. Well, the good news is that Nerds have come to be an almost entirely accepted part of society. We still have a long way to go, but I feel that we have come on in leaps and bounds since the mid nineties, when the Tokyo Nerd riots dominated the headlines.

Many people feel pressure to hide any semblance of Nerdism. This is sad, and artificial, but many feel more content around family and friends is the truth about them is unknown. Many people say they are Nerds just to get attention. Many people are unsure themselves. Ultimately, it's you thats important. You must learn to become comfortable, and confident with your identity before you can expect other people to this end, I and the rest of the Allied Nerd Acceptance League have devised the following test. One point for each "yes", unless otherwise stated.

1) Did you spot the above acronym?

2) Is your web name always the same? Bonus point if it belongs to a fictional character. Point for every character name you have ever used.

3) Have you reached the point where you could use an off topic avatar? Bonus point if you do.

4) Have you got a picture in your signature? Bonus point if it's something you photoshopped yourself.

5) Do people ask you for help with computers?

6) Do you sometimes watch movies and TV in the hope that you can subliminally influence others in the household to watch them too?

7) Do you own a movie or TV show on both DVD and VHS?

8) Do you know who Shigeru Myamoto is? Bonus point if you refer to him as "Shigsy"

9) Do you know Neo's room number? 2 bonus points if you know Trinity's.

10) Do you often quote from movies and TV, and hope that nobody will notice? Bonus point if you secretly hope that they will.

11) Have you ever written fanfiction? Bonus point for Darkfic, 2 points each for Slash- and song- fic.

12) 1 point for each of the following that you own for personal use: Webcam, ergonomic keyboard, pen-and-tablet mouse, computer microphone, cd burner, headset, handheld scanner, DVD burner, CD label printer.

13) Do you find yourself mentally noting movie innacuracies to dazzle web-buddies later on?

14) 5 points if you know Mulders badge number.

15) Did you read Lord of the Rings before the movie was ever mentioned?

16) 1 point for every games console you have ever owned.

17) Do you own, or have you ever owned, more than 15 games for the Pc not including expansions?

18) Do you refer to certain actors by first name only?

19) Are you bitter about the popularity of the Playstation?

20) Do you know what a "Wonderswan" is?

21) Is a forum the highlight of your day?

22) Do you highlight things in the TV guide?

23) Can you set your VCR timer? Bonus point if you have ever stayed up to watch it anyway.

24) Do you regularly use the internet past midnight?

25) Have you ever bought a magazine from the Visual Image range? If its Xpose, I got letters printed in it...muhaha.

26) Have you ever bought more than one in any line of comics?

27) Are you frequently frustrated that you can't type fast enough to keep up with your head?

28) Did you laugh hysterically at the Run Dos Run joke in the Simpsons?

29) Have you ever waited for a video game for more than 3 weeks before its release date?

30) Do you ever get an adrenaline rush in a chatroom?

31)Have you ever caught yourself internally narrating your own life?

32) 1 point for every Emulator you have. 2 points if you own more than 15 Roms for any one of them.

33) 1 point for every Magazine subscription you have.
(EXCEPTIONS: Playboy but not other porn; Readers Digest; Time,Newsweek. 5 points for National Geographic.)

34) Have you ever built one of the following: Model ships/ planes, diorama, Warhammer-style army game thing.

35) Do you try to buy things you see in movies? (eg. Swooshy coats, boots, phones, shades, lenses, replica weapons, books) Bonus point if you've only just realised it.

36) 1 point for every movie/tv poster you own. Two points if its a Lobby Edition. 3 points for a carboard stand up.

37) Did you assemble your computer system youself?

38) Have you ever laughed hysterically at Dilbert?

39) One point for every foodstuff you have ever laugh-snorted. ("Snorking")

40) Have you ever owned a Gary Larson calender? Bonus point if you got more that 95% of the jokes.


Add 'em up and...

20 or lower.
Your pretty normal, but much like Jane Goodall, nerds accept you as their own. You are welcome here, and the Nerds respect you. It is your duty to tell the world about their strange and superior ways...

20-35
You're a half-breed. Neither socially inept enough for full Nerd status, nor sufficiently bland for normality. You could go either way. You can try to hide it, but fellow Nerds recognise you, just as Norms are subconsciously distressed by your presence. Face up to who you are. Claim an identity soon, or be trapped in limbo forever.

35-45
One of our own. Respected and respectful to your nerdy brethren, you see no shame in it. You are aware that Nerds live full and healthy lives, outside of their Nerdy pursuits, but you are still happiest among your own. We are legion. We are every 8th person you see walking down the street. We program your computers, criticise and make your movies, and are inexplicably not evicted from Big Brother. Do not fear us. We can live in harmony.

45+
God in heaven. You probably haven't willingly been outside since childhood. You reject the sun, and all who walk in her loathsome rays. You are never happier than when flaunting some obscure but perhaps interesting fact. The thing is, you will soon develop long tendrils instead of fingers, the better to type with, and your eyes will adapt to square screen shapes, until you physically couldn't live among Norms if you wanted to. Come back from the brink before you bore everybody to tears! Just ...ease up a little okay?
 
D
doppelgänger2
[No message]
Jill_Valentine said:
It has come to my attention that many people are...confused about their Identity. Thats understandable. Many of us are still enduring the whirlwind of hormones that is teenagerdom. But one question seems to recur. "Am I a nerd?" you ask. Well, the good news is that Nerds have come to be an almost entirely accepted part of society. We still have a long way to go, but I feel that we have come on in leaps and bounds since the mid nineties, when the Tokyo Nerd riots dominated the headlines.

Many people feel pressure to hide any semblance of Nerdism. This is sad, and artificial, but many feel more content around family and friends is the truth about them is unknown. Many people say they are Nerds just to get attention. Many people are unsure themselves. Ultimately, it's you thats important. You must learn to become comfortable, and confident with your identity before you can expect other people to this end, I and the rest of the Allied Nerd Acceptance League have devised the following test. One point for each "yes", unless otherwise stated.

1) Did you spot the above acronym?

2) Is your web name always the same? Bonus point if it belongs to a fictional character. Point for every character name you have ever used.

3) Have you reached the point where you could use an off topic avatar? Bonus point if you do.

4) Have you got a picture in your signature? Bonus point if it's something you photoshopped yourself.

5) Do people ask you for help with computers?

6) Do you sometimes watch movies and TV in the hope that you can subliminally influence others in the household to watch them too?

7) Do you own a movie or TV show on both DVD and VHS?

8) Do you know who Shigeru Myamoto is? Bonus point if you refer to him as "Shigsy"

9) Do you know Neo's room number? 2 bonus points if you know Trinity's.

10) Do you often quote from movies and TV, and hope that nobody will notice? Bonus point if you secretly hope that they will.

11) Have you ever written fanfiction? Bonus point for Darkfic, 2 points each for Slash- and song- fic.

12) 1 point for each of the following that you own for personal use: Webcam, ergonomic keyboard, pen-and-tablet mouse, computer microphone, cd burner, headset, handheld scanner, DVD burner, CD label printer.

13) Do you find yourself mentally noting movie innacuracies to dazzle web-buddies later on?

14) 5 points if you know Mulders badge number.

15) Did you read Lord of the Rings before the movie was ever mentioned?

16) 1 point for every games console you have ever owned.

17) Do you own, or have you ever owned, more than 15 games for the Pc not including expansions?

18) Do you refer to certain actors by first name only?

19) Are you bitter about the popularity of the Playstation?

20) Do you know what a "Wonderswan" is?

21) Is a forum the highlight of your day?

22) Do you highlight things in the TV guide?

23) Can you set your VCR timer? Bonus point if you have ever stayed up to watch it anyway.

24) Do you regularly use the internet past midnight?

25) Have you ever bought a magazine from the Visual Image range? If its Xpose, I got letters printed in it...muhaha.

26) Have you ever bought more than one in any line of comics?

27) Are you frequently frustrated that you can't type fast enough to keep up with your head?

28) Did you laugh hysterically at the Run Dos Run joke in the Simpsons?

29) Have you ever waited for a video game for more than 3 weeks before its release date?

30) Do you ever get an adrenaline rush in a chatroom?

31)Have you ever caught yourself internally narrating your own life?

32) 1 point for every Emulator you have. 2 points if you own more than 15 Roms for any one of them.

33) 1 point for every Magazine subscription you have.
(EXCEPTIONS: Playboy but not other porn; Readers Digest; Time,Newsweek. 5 points for National Geographic.)

34) Have you ever built one of the following: Model ships/ planes, diorama, Warhammer-style army game thing.

35) Do you try to buy things you see in movies? (eg. Swooshy coats, boots, phones, shades, lenses, replica weapons, books) Bonus point if you've only just realised it.

36) 1 point for every movie/tv poster you own. Two points if its a Lobby Edition. 3 points for a carboard stand up.

37) Did you assemble your computer system youself?

38) Have you ever laughed hysterically at Dilbert?

39) One point for every foodstuff you have ever laugh-snorted. ("Snorking")

40) Have you ever owned a Gary Larson calender? Bonus point if you got more that 95% of the jokes.


Add 'em up and...

20 or lower.
Your pretty normal, but much like Jane Goodall, nerds accept you as their own. You are welcome here, and the Nerds respect you. It is your duty to tell the world about their strange and superior ways...

20-35
You're a half-breed. Neither socially inept enough for full Nerd status, nor sufficiently bland for normality. You could go either way. You can try to hide it, but fellow Nerds recognise you, just as Norms are subconsciously distressed by your presence. Face up to who you are. Claim an identity soon, or be trapped in limbo forever.

35-45
One of our own. Respected and respectful to your nerdy brethren, you see no shame in it. You are aware that Nerds live full and healthy lives, outside of their Nerdy pursuits, but you are still happiest among your own. We are legion. We are every 8th person you see walking down the street. We program your computers, criticise and make your movies, and are inexplicably not evicted from Big Brother. Do not fear us. We can live in harmony.

45+
God in heaven. You probably haven't willingly been outside since childhood. You reject the sun, and all who walk in her loathsome rays. You are never happier than when flaunting some obscure but perhaps interesting fact. The thing is, you will soon develop long tendrils instead of fingers, the better to type with, and your eyes will adapt to square screen shapes, until you physically couldn't live among Norms if you wanted to. Come back from the brink before you bore everybody to tears! Just ...ease up a little okay?

First off, Jill are you a teenager? Because you write so eloquently that doesn't seem to reflect the writing skills of a teen. FYI, I am also a teen, 17 to be exact.

At my school, I don't think nerds are really subjected to any prejudice or name calling, because I probably goto the most diverse school anywhere. And most people are accepted without thought, unless poorly dressed or something that they could control.

BTW, is nerd a politically correct term? Hoping that I'm not offending anyone.

But I myself do not consider myself (two myselfs in one sentece, superiority complex?) a nerd. I'm kinda a social climbing prep. Don't take the preceding sentence in the wrong way though. Even though the nerdy people at school are the most genuinly friend folk (alliteration, I obviously go out of my way to attempt to do this) I have ever met. I even have close friends that are nerds and I'm not ashamed to be seen in public with them. Hope that didn't make me sound superficial, but many people do not like to hang out with others outside their groups, but thats just not me.

Sometimes I do sit around and think, Hey Justin, your a nerd! I mean you can't be this obsessed with Buffy and not be some type of nerd. Also I'm pretty swift with coding and some what of a decent graphic designer. Not to mention that I completely comply (alliteration) with number 5 on your list.

So am I a nerd? Hell, I don't even know now after writing this post. Hm, if I wasn't struggling enough with my personal identity during my teen years? But don't all teenagers go through some sort of identity crisis, not knowing who you are, trying to realize it, and in the end becoming who you are. Although I'm still in phase 1.

I love to rant in some posts.
 
"First off, Jill are you a teenager? Because you write so eloquently that doesn't seem to reflect the writing skills of a teen. FYI, I am also a teen, 17 to be exact."


Why thank you. 😀 As of the 14th of August, I am currently enjoying my last year of teenagerdom. The big 1 - 9.

No shame in being a nerd. We'll inherit the earth, you know. I'm not sure is it the PC term. I'd imagine it's more proper to use the term "Person of Nerdly Persuasion" 😀 Despite the standard nerd stereotype, many unexpected people are nerds. Celebrity nerds are pressured to stay in the nerd-closet, less it damage their image.... It's possible to be a nerd and be other things...
 
I do think more and more people are becoming nerds. Its because of the computer, totally revolutionized society.

But a celebrity nerd? I know many of them are comic collectors and such. Sarah even stated that Freddie was a huge nerd.

But I think theres a difference between someone who embraces the culture of nerds and someone who just likes a few things that some nerds do.

So is there a difference between a true nerd and someone who likes nerd things, but puts on a different appearance?
 
Um, is it bad that when I added up all of my points, I came up with 72?
 
I haven't did the survey yet (but I intend to), but I must say, I bow down to you :cheerlead

Edit:

Did the survey and my score was, dunt dunt dunt, 21!
 
😱

Em... either I need to revise the scoring system (And I tested it on a Science Fiction cinema forum....) or I am in awe...

Nah, no difference. It's just that the more self confessed nerds we get, the more people we'll have for the Nerd Pride Parade. 😀
 
Re:

JV you are something else hon. I was often intimidated by the in-crowd through high school. Social interaction was always my downfall. But for some reason I still did little things that drew massive amounts of attention to myself. I wore pigtails through my junior and senior years, wore mary janes constantly, and my favorite shirt was a t-shirt with a big red tractor on it. I ate lunch in the hallway instead of the cafeteria, and hung with the same 4 people all four years. was always real into complaint rock, and never wore a pair of jeans that weren't ragged. I despised cheerleaders and jocks, and avoided the preps. I think I was socially lost. But it wasn't until after HS that I really came out of my shell. And hormones? I don't think I even knew what one was until I was 19. I think adolescence is the time a persons given to grow, experience, and learn. It's the time to shape yourself, and figure out which personality fits you best. I think of it like a butterfly. You start out a caterpillar, squirming and slow. And as the years pass you change and mature. By the time it's through you end up a butterfly, with unique wings that tell your own individual story.
And I think I probably just scared everyone logged on with this post. I appologize- I'm running on artificial energy at this point. Pure caffeine. ::morn::
 
I got a 23, says i'm stuck in limbo at the moment, I really don't like that place 😀

NSM: I sounds just like you, only minus the pigtails and the tracktor shirt.
 
I got 25 but I know i'm slightly worse than that. I used to sit in my consumer law seminars up the back reading X-Men I was that bored.

As I was younger I was made fun of because of the stuff I did and the things I wore, but now a large amount of the population dresses like that, which annoys the hell out of me as I get accused of following the fashion.

I'm not ashamed and never have been. I was and still am a bit mixed with the things I wear, I used to go to school with my cherry red docs with my skirt and now switched them for my New Rock boots. I've done the whole kilt and fishnets, i've done the wedges, jeans and preppy look. I still like wearing my hair in pigtails. I've hung out with different crowds, the music crowd, at uni the 'popular' crowd full of private school people and rugby players. But not once did I change the way I acted or looked. They accepted me for what I was and we had a blast. They used to tease me about Buffy, only to get a rise out of me (as secretly some of them watched it too)
 
I'm a nerd.. I didn't get that many nerd points, but I think that's because I didn't know all the things you asked about.. And maybe I'm a nerd about other stuff..
This morning before school, my internet didn't work. I really freaked out and took a much earlier bus to school so that I had time to be at this board at least ten minutes before my lessons started.. My classmates think I'm a nerd and weird when they see where I spend all my time (which is here of course)..
 
fun thread, with fun quetions! 😉

i got ....... 37. (movie/tv posters really put me over the top 😉) did you make this thing your self (all the questions...)
 
Yup. I haven't taken it myself in a while, actually, and I just bought a stylus/ tablet mouse.... I could have made a rather drastic increase in points... 😀

Edit.

56 pts.
 
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