On Being a “Geek”

Honesty time: I’ve always been a geek. It’s so easy to be geeky these days; instead of the stigma of some weird pimply bespectacled teenager hauling around a box of Pokemon cards in his mother’s cookie tin, being a “geek” is fast becoming the norm. I use quotation marks because a lot of people misuse the word. Being one of those awkward bespectacled teens (although for me it was Yu-gi-oh cards), I’m offended by the “geeks” that walk the hallways of my school and the windows of stores wearing fake hipster glasses and t-shirts that proclaim “Still Waiting for My Mario.”

There are many things that one can be geeky about. Since I’m exposed to a lot of them, it’s usually books, TV shows, and movies that I get really, really hooked on. Just head to my “Reviews” page and you’ll see what I’m talking about 🙂 You can also be geeky about games, makeup (I qualify), internet memes (also me), basically anything in any category as long as you’re obsessed with it and the rest of the world rolls their eyes and insists that it’s “just a phase you’re going through.”

BUT, and it’s a big one, wearing paraphernalia associated with the thing or changing your profile picture to an anime character or sharing overused memes on facebook DOES NOT MAKE YOU A GEEK. Maybe it’s a nickpickety stipulation of mine, but I’m really truly bothered by people who insist that they’re “a total music geek” because they listened to one old song or that they “luuurrrrvvv old movies” because they watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. This does not qualify. This is not right. Having been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism regarding my obsessions, I want everyone to embrace theirs and not feel like they have to fake it to be accepted.

Never be afraid to geek out, guys. If you’re afraid people won’t accept you for who you are and what you love, you’re hanging with the wrong people.

Cheers!