“You’re such a nerd.” Throughout my life I have constantly heard this line said to me. At first it made me feel a bit bad about myself that a lot of my peers thought I was such a “weirdo,” however as I have grown older I have come to realize I really wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Growing up, my parents raised me to embrace the things I was passionate about. I always remember reading books with my mom. It allowed me to explore magical worlds such as Hogwarts, and that taught me how to really use my imagination. 

Of course she showed me every single Disney movie imaginable; up to this day I am pretty sure I am the biggest Disney freak on the face of the Earth. 

With my dad, I remember playing old school video games such as Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog on Sega. Not only did he explain to me the differences between Gotham City and Metropolis, he made sure I was fully knowledgeable about the functions and side effects of Kryptonite. 

Whether it was from all of these factors growing up as a child or if it was me just coming into my own as a young adult, being a so-called nerd is what makes life so fun and interesting. 

Being passionate about something is never anything to be ashamed of. Everyone is passionate about something in their life whether its sports, politics, reading, video gaming, the list goes on and on. 

So instead of calling each other weird or nerds, why don’t we all just accept that we are all nerds in one form or another?  

Instead of feeling bad about myself now, I take pride in what I am excited about and sometimes it even makes me more confident in myself. For example, I am an avid Xbox player, and nothing gives me more confidence as a woman than destroying boys online in games such as Halo or Gears of War. 

It is always great to see such a girly character such as mine blowing guys out of the water online and seeing them so shocked as to why a girl with hot pink weapons is so good at video games. 

Not only have my quirky gamer girl qualities made me more confident, but my love for Disney and animation has also kept me young at heart. Being obsessed with all things Disney has kept that magic alive that I see so many young adults lose as they get older. 

People lose their sense of wonder and innocence as they age but indulging in things that are considered “childish” can actually be extremely therapeutic. Thinking into the future, I am so glad I have kept my sense of wonder because I know that I will be able to provide my future kids with a great childhood, such as I had. 

So now when I get called “nerd” or “weird” I take that as an extreme compliment. If it weren’t for my quirks and my oddness I wouldn’t be who I am. Who I am is fun, excitable and passionate. 

Being normal sounds boring to me and I encourage anyone who is infatuated with anything to embrace it because that is what makes the world so interesting to live in. 

Live long and prosper, nerds.