Who’s the Nerd?

This week in school, one of my teachers complimented me and a friend on our drama skills, and a boy in the class commented that “all drama kids are freaks or nerds.” This boy is a jock, his grades are average and he gets into trouble in school sometimes. What makes him think he’s better than me or my friends? This got me and my friend Emily (who is also in drama) thinking… what makes someone a nerd?

I hung out in my pajamas and studied for midterms today. Does that make me a nerd?

I listen to my parents and choose not to smoke or take drugs. Does that make me a nerd?

I hung out and watched a movie with some of my girlfriends on Saturday night. Does that make us all nerds?

I would rather wait for a boy to ask me out than ask him out. Does that make me a nerd?

And if a boy likes me but is too shy to tell me, does that make him a nerd?

And who gets to call other people nerds?

The kids who don’t study for midterms?

The crowd that doesn’t listen to anyone and smokes and takes drugs?

The teens who go to parties and get drunk instead of having a movie night with the girls?

The girl who asks out every boy she knows and has a bad reputation?

The boy who tells every girl he likes her, just to get her to do what he wants?

My mom calls this stereotyping. I just think it stinks. I told the kid who called the drama kids nerds that he was a jerk, and he didn’t even respond. So I guess it really doesn’t matter what people call you, especially if you’re happy with who you are.

And drama kids are so not nerds.