Not long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, individuals who dared deviate from the social majority were not heralded as the heroes they were. Nay. They were shunned by the popular kids, cast out of elite social circles, driven away by those deemed “normal” and “cool.” For years geeks were forced to hide in the shadows, playing Vampire Masquerade in the poorly lit corners of small coffee shops and trading D&D game books in back alleys of struggling comic book stores. These were the bad days, when one could not admit to being fluent in Klingon.
Slowly, the tides have begun to turn. With every “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings” film, with every comic book adaptation to the silver screen, with each new “Doctor Who” doctor, people have come to understand that no matter how hard you might fight it, there is a geek that is alive and well within each one of us. You just have to find something that floats your nerd boat.
As individuals learn to embrace and show off their unique and geeky personalities, it seems there just aren’t enough mediums to hold all of our geekiness. We need more methods to incorporate our passions, hobbies and personal style. If this sounds like all you have been looking for, here are a few tips for expressing your geekhood:
Hobbies
Actor and geek god Simon Pegg said: “Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection.” Good geek hobbies are the ones that you spaz out about just thinking of them. Here are a few nerdy ways to show off your hobbies:
- Blog: If you have a hobby blog, you get double geek points. If you are a geek who blogs about writing geeky blogs, well, then you may have just broken the Internet.
- Meme: If you are more visual, meme-making is all the nerdy rage. And it’s super simple. All you need is a catchy phrase and a striking image and you are in meme business. For example, although nearly every utterance of “Futurama’s” character Fry is pure gold, “Shut up and take my money” is as applicable to meme-making as you can get. Partner up Fry’s words of wisdom with a cat riding a unicorn, and you my friend, will make Internet history.
Clothing
What was once considered fashion-less, has now become one of the most sought after styles in modern fashion design. When you think geek, what fashion comes to mind?
- Cosplay: This takes geek clothing to a whole new, possibly parallel dimension. It should be respected because it finally made geeky sexy. Considered the ultimate homage to your favorite fictional characters, and always a hit at Comic-Con, cosplay is for the geek who enjoys blurring the lines between fantasy and reality and who wants to know what it is like to be in a character’s shoes. It’s important that you commit to it 100 percent, though, because the cosplay crowd can be unforgiving of a half-baked tribute.
- Vans: These have always been, and will likely always be, a cool option for geek footwear. Vans offer a wide variety of styles, colors and patterns, including themed-shoes from movies like “The Jungle Book.” The company also has cornered the quirky shoe market with offerings like the pizza-patterned shoe.
After decades of repression, the age of the geek has finally arrived. Whether you are a new geek, an old geek, a converted geek, an RPG geek or a LARP geek, you are free to show you geekiness in any shade or shape you choose. All are welcome, so let your geek flag fly.
