Has anyone else been called a nerd?

I’ve been called a nerd so many times and i was wondering what yall do when people call you a nerd

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In all honestly asking this on a yo-yo forum the question kind of answers itself. Obviously yo-yo is a nerdy hobby just poke around here, read some posts and you’ll see we are all nerds. That’s OK nothing wrong with that, I wear that badge with honor. Being confident in who you are and what you like is the highest form of freedom in my eyes. The “popular” ones who always have to watch what they say and do to appear “cool” or whatever are the ones not secure in who they are. We are.

Be proud of who you are and what you do and like. The best advice I can give is ignore them and you do what you want. If the bully becomes physical learn to fight, take some martial arts and always stand up for yourself. Bullies are like balloons; pop’em and they go away.

However at the end of the day: be the best you can, enjoy life and don’t worry about what other people think of you. People will always come and go in your life, but you are the one that has to live with you. Surround yourself with positive people and you’ll see things change.

Good luck…I hope this helps you some. :grin:

Edit: When I first read it I thought he was asking if any of us have been called nerds, my bad. However, I still stand by what I said, it does provide some context. :blush:

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Lmao I remember when people called me a nerd for skating back in the late 90s, now look! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as long as you yo with confidence no one will make fun of you :slight_smile:

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The older I get, the more I realize that there’s nothing uncool about doing the things I enjoy. And the older I get, the more people are cool about the nerdy or quirky stuff I do. Like Dirk said, don’t pity the nerdy. Pity those who are so insecure and self-conscious that they feel they have to put others down.

I saw a cool sign on the side of the road yest. Just a random white sign with black letters: “You are enough.” Don’t give up or swap out pieces of yourself to please a world which is wrapped up in its own self-image. You’ll wake up at 42 and realize, you’ve got no pieces left.

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I like to think that people who call other people names do so either from their own insecurity, or from a need for social acceptance with what they consider “the cool kids”. That said, if you are a young person (middle school/high school), words hurt. Words still hurt when you are older, but, hopefully at some point you will have a strong enough sense of who you are that labels other people give you don’t cause you to doubt yourself.

I’m old enough and have been called a nerd enough that I own it. My kids call me a nerd (if the shoe fits…). Now, as an adult, I usually either answer “that’s right”, or, ask if the person who called me out would like me to teach them a trick. [for this, I recommend having a yoyo you don’t mind getting damaged as you could be dealing with someone who would find joy in trying to get a reaction from you by intentionally damaging the yoyo…be aware]

As to the best way to handle it, I think not getting confrontational is a good start. In a group, people can get stupid fast, you don’t want to escalate. Like dam720 said, people, especially in middle and high school come and go from your life relatively quickly (it may not feel it at the time), but, you need to be true to you, as you are going to be with you for your whole life.

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I think, similar to what Ed said, it’s something that you really learn as you get older. Eventually you realize that the people that are saying things, or picking on you, are really insecure. Then you’ll realize that what they think of you just doesn’t matter all that much, not saying that the image (who we are) isn’t important. But it stops getting to you more as you get older.

I would just agree with people. We’d hacky sack or yoyo after lunch in high school (mid 90’s). Kids would walk by and call us yoyo nerds or something else, I’d just reply something like “Yeah, what about it?” Usually, they’d just keep walking. I’m not going to stop doing something that I enjoy because someone calls me a name, just own it there are a lot of 40+ year old yoyo nerds here with you :grin:

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I once spent a couple months writing/performing slam poetry and did a duet piece with a friend about being called a nerd.

the final line of the poem was “thank you!” which was how we dealt with it back then in the late 90s.

I really gotta dig it up. it’s been ages

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I’m honestly surprised nerd is still used to insult people. Nerd culture and pop culture are so intertwined at the point, and has been for at least the better part of a decade if not longer.

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I was about to say this. We live in a world now where super hero movies are top grossing films and full grown adults are unapologetically enjoying them. Game of Thrones was the most popular TV series of all time. Everyone uses “nerd” tech these days, and nerdy items like computers and video games are ubiquitous now.

I remember when I was growing up these things were much more ‘taboo’ among older “cool” people. Taboo in a derogatory ‘revenge of the nerds’ sense.

I have been called a nerd (fewer times than id expect tbh), but I know that I am. I embrace it actually. Nerds have taken over and are now cool.

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Elon Musk is the biggest nerd and he’s TIGHT

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Most comments I get about throwing yo-yos are positive, unless it’s that
guy that has to go on about how much time i must have wasted learning how to
do it. Fool disclosure though, i do have selective hearing.

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I have also been called a nerd. The scary thing is that it happened while I was talking to myself in the mirror.

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Elon is a man of culture and that makes me happy

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I freely accept being a nerd. I thank them for their comment and proceed to confuse them with Magic: the Gathering rules.

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For sure, but it doesn’t bother me. Been a nerd my whole life, why stop now? Lol
Seriously though, kinda like @edhaponik said, the older you get, the less you care about what others think, and the more you care about just doing what makes you happy.

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I use to have major social anxieties and low self esteem.
Still struggle with this stuff…but it’s no where near as bad as it has been.

It’s neat really…I’ve just stopped caring so much what others think of me for the most part. As long as I’m presentable and being what I consider a ‘nice’ guy…then screw anyone who wants to look down on me for being the goofy person I am.
There’s plenty of people in life that seem to enjoy me just the way I am. I’m okay with the fact that not everyone will like me…but it’s like why should I let the people who dislike me or who are overly judgmental of me have so much power over how I feel about my own self?
I’ve come a LONG ways. People’s dislike in me use to wreck me.

I kinda sorta like the person that I am anymore. I’m a genuinely nice guy. I wish I was better in a billion ways (I’m pretty hard on myself)…but at least I’ve got a good heart.
So being okay with myself, makes it so I don’t care so much anymore if others dislike me.

…I’ve always been a bit ‘odd’ xP.
I love being a nerd though. I love all the nerdy hobbies it’s brought to my life!

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I didn’t think being called a nerd or a geek was a problem anymore. That’s a good thing!

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Yeah! I think you’re right. Being a nerdy is no longer a ‘bad’ thing. Nerds are cool now! :smiley:

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