Nerds, Geeks, and Dorks

So this one day last semester, it was a Monday, my school had a Spirit Week. The first day was Nerd Day. Awesome! So I dressed myself in my Star Trek shirt and black pants and pinned my Starfleet combadge pin to my shirt in its appropriate place and when I got to school...everyone was dressed in an imitation of Steve Irkel. The announcements were themed. The music they played before them was the Star Wars theme. Funny. I like that theme. But then they started talking.

It was extremely offensive. One of the girls sounded asthmatic, and she hasn't sounded like that before. Ever. And at the end when she said our school slogan ("Where arts and academics share center stage") she said, "Where arts and academics - academics are my favorite - share center stage". Okay, that's the last straw. That's mean. Really mean.

Allow me to clarify. I am a stereotypical nerd. But that doesn't mean I have no friends, can't talk about anything except science, or love academics more than life itself. I'm in an art school, man! You think that's the case?

You won't find this definition anywhere else. A nerd is someone who has a particular obsession, is likely smart enough to understand the physics of the universe in which that obsession functions, but is still able to function in normal society, engage in social relationships, talk to people about normal everyday stuff. I am a nerd. My obsession is sci-fi, specifically time travel, I am smart enough to understand the science of it, but I can still work in an area where my obsession does not factor. I stand out, yeah, but if I dressed like a standard teenager, you'd never know just by looking at me. 

A geek is someone who is hyper-obsessed with a particular academic subject, is hyper-intelligent about that particular subject, and have difficulty understanding social interactions and has trouble interacting with people who don't also fit into their geek niche.

A dork is a combination of a nerd and a geek. They are hyper-obsessed with something, anything, are very smart, but have great difficulty dealing with anybody outside their social circle. 

I am a nerd.

Steve Irkel is a geek.

Sheldon Cooper is a dork.

That's how it works out with these definitions. Hopefully, you'll never misclassify anyone ever again. And remember, we weirdos have feelings, too.