Nerd alert!

Be completely honest. What do you think about when you hear the word nerd? What do you see in front of you? Perhaps this?

Of course it's a guy. A white guy. With glasses. His biggest interests are computers and science fiction. Sports is nothing he enjoys. And he's quite socially awkward. This is the stereotype of nerd, and the dictionaries add to the prejudice. Merriam Webster defines nerd as someone who "behaves awkwardly around other people and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc" or "is very interested in technical subjects, computers, etc." Now look at the picture below. Do you see a nerd? 

I'm not a guy. Even though I own glasses I mostly wear contacts. I'm not particularly interested in technical subjects, nor am I extremely socially awkward. However, I love ice-hockey. So how can I so audaciously claim to be a nerd? 

In case you didn't know, the definition of a nerd is much broader than the generalization described above. According to Wikipedia the first documented appearance of the word occured in Dr. Seuss' book If I ran the Zoo from 1950. There is also an oral tradition - which I love and really hope is true - that nerd derives from knurd (drunk spelled backwards!), which was a word that used to describe people that studied rather than partied. Now we're getting somewhere! Furthermore, a nerd is a person who is "overly intellectual, obsessive or socially impaired". In addition, physical awkwardness might also be a trait. The nerd indulges in academic activities like linguistics and history and shows interest in things like the fine arts and non-mainstream music.

So... it's true that I'm completely obsessed by ice-hockey. However, I don't care too much about other sports. I love running, but more because of the intellectual effects than the physical result of it. My limbs are long and graceless, which make my movements and my whole body language quite inelegant. Most important though is the fact that I've always had the aptitude of getting entirely obsessed with theoretical matters, like literature, grammar, languages, arts and music. I'd rather read or study in my solitude than go to a party with many people. Although I like chatting and getting to know people and might even be perceived as a true extrovert, deep inside I'm still the shy and awkward 7-year-old little girl who tried to bond with her peers. It's just that it comes a little bit more natural after years of training.

In summary, to the untrained eye I might not look like or even behave like the typical nerd. Some hardcore nerds might say that I can't call myself a nerd. But I don't care, because I know I am. And I'm proud of it. :)