I am so fortunate in my life to be surrounded my incredible family and friends. The people that have come to form my support network (for which I am eternally grateful) are truly some of the best people out there. I was doing some thinking about what makes these awesome people so great, not just as those who have my back, but as people in general. Something that I kept circling back to was that most of them are nerds. Allow me to clarify; when I say nerds, I don’t mean people who are obsessed with math and science and wear pocket protectors all the live long day (but seriously you should meet my dad). To me, at least, a nerd is simply someone who is simply utterly and unabashedly passionate about something that it comes off a little…well…nerdy! This makes me so happy. I think everyone deserves to find a niche that excites them so much that it becomes a part of their entire being. Whether it’s birds or board games or social justice or tech or music or theater–whatever it is that makes your gears turn and gets you excited about being in this life, embrace it. I think one of the most attractive qualities in a person is passion. If you care about something, and sometimes to a fault, I wanna know about it. I want you to share with me what makes you get your nerd on. Cause isn’t that what this is all about? Look for something in life that you just can’t get enough of. If you don’t know what you’re nerdy for, just yet, that’s totally fine. The lucky thing about it all is that we have time. Most of us have our whole lives ahead of us to find our inner nerd; there’s really no rush. I’m not sure I really even know what makes me go full nerd, and that’s okay. I’m so excited about the prospect of discovering what it is. But please, when you find it, or if you’ve found it already, reach out to me. I’d be thrilled to hear about it from you.
– A. Neigh
Hi Aidan,
Remember the turtles in Finding Nemo? The turtle family found a water highway to swim to their destination because it was the fastest and most comfortable route . Sometimes it takes people their whole lives to figure out the best way to move thru life. Follow whatever moves you and “floats your boat”! Glorie
Hey Aidan!
Loved your post this week, although I’d challenge you on that idea that what you’re describing is “nerdy.” Instead, I’d probably just call it passionate. I’m an unapologetically-big fan of board games, video games, etc. I grew up playing Legend of Zelda, D&D, etc. with my brothers, cousins, and close friends. I had a very lucky childhood to be brought up in a home that encouraged and fostered those interests, and I recognize that not everyone shares that same luxury. However, I would argue that I was blessed with the opportunity to pursue creativity and my own individual interests with no judgement passed on my interests. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was due to me growing up amongst “nerds,” even though you might use that label for me, my dad, my cousin, etc. I do encourage people to find something they care about and a situation where they can be unapologetically themselves, though I don’t think it necessarily has to be a “nerdy” pursuit.