Talk Nerdy to Me: One Influencer Explains Why She Embraces Her Inner Geek
July 13th, 2016 by
Today is National Embrace Your Geekness Day, and I’m here to tell you what that means and why I’m personally proud to be a geek.
So let’s start with the very common question, “Is being a geek the same as being a nerd?” I personally identify as both a geek and a nerd (and am proud of it), but many people prefer to differentiate between the two.
What Is the Difference: Geeks vs. Nerds
The terms geek and nerd may sometimes seem synonymous, but they have very different roots in history.
The term nerd was coined from Dr. Seuss in 1954 in a line that read “A nerkle, a nerd, and a seersucker too!” – So really nerkle and seersucker are synonymous with nerd.
While used as a derogatory term originally, the word “geek” gained popularity in the circus. Circus performers that performed amazing feats were called Geeks.
Geeks are often gamers, comic book enthusiasts, or musicians who are really interested in a specific niche hobby that they become an expert on. I’m someone with a weekly pull list at the local comic book store and I love to cosplay at anime conventions, so that’s how I fit that mold. Geeks also tend to be the “living encyclopedia” types who can cite random facts about miscellaneous obscure things like how hemp milk is made or what the dietary habit differences are between hawks and falcons.
On the other hand, nerds often have an interest in academics. They’re the science and math enthusiasts who usually end up with jobs like computer programming, science research, or engineering.
Why I’m Proud to Be a Geek
I’m proud to be a geek. To me, it means that I’m capable of excelling at anything I put my mind to. I have hobbies that range from standards like painting, piano, and photography to less typical ones like glass blowing, fire baton twirling, and comic book collecting. If there’s something I’m interested in, I make it a point to become an expert on that topic. That’s also what makes me pretty good at what I do.
When I studied online marketing in college, I fell in love and made it a point to become an expert in local SEO. In my time here at Search Influence, I’ve even made it a point to track the changes Google makes in its guidelines for business. Understanding the local search ecosystem and how various mapping systems work together to provide users with information is something I find very interesting and love learning more about.
So whether you consider yourself a nerd or a geek, know that there are a lot of nerds and geeks out in the world and that it’s something to be proud of. Let your geek flag fly!
