<p>Interestingly enough, none of my 3 children associated the word “nerd” with being smart. Many of their classmates at school are both exceptionally smart and very social/popular. They associated the word with being “weird”, “awkward” or not entirely “comfortable” around other “kids their own age”.</p>
<p>My children don’t call themselves nerds. I think school culture influences how children think of themselves.</p>
<p>Lol, at my school the kid who gets the best grades in my class plays plays football and lacrosse. He is the least “nerdy” kid I know. In my school, being smart doesn’t make you a “nerd.”</p>
<p>The definitions of geek/nerd/etc are always changing - and there are different uses by different groups. Geek ,in particular, had a very different meaning about two generations ago related to circus sideshows.
Now, in the crowds, I run in, both tend to just mean ‘smart people interested in intellectual and/or obscure activities’. Many seem to be lacking socially - but once they find people with similar interests , that often changes. It also often changes once they are out of the generally disfunctional social world of middle/high school.</p>
<p>Neato–first “intellectual badass.” now “venn diagrams”----</p>
<p>You have to be one of the coolest people I have gotten to know in the last 10 years–thank you. </p>
<p>(Alex would explain the venn diagram and then relate it to the square root of pi–she feels everything somehow relates to pi----lol)</p>
<p>The “intellectual badass” is really funny. I actually lol’d.</p>
<p>As a teen, I do.</p>
<p>My friends and I have created a group called the Nerd Herd. We’ve definitely embraced the title but still use it in jest as an insult.</p>
<p>When I think about it it’s like when the protective parent tells their child that all the other kids are just jealous when they’re made fun of… (damper on things there… :P)</p>
<p>Nerd-Smart</p>
<p>Geek-into a certain thing A LOT</p>
<p>Dork-weird kid no one likes; awkward</p>
<p>well said, rad-in-plaid B)</p>
<p>There is a difference between being a nerd and being smart.</p>
<p>What about dweebs?</p>
<p>I’d second Rebelangel’s post #15</p>
<p>Definitely second Rebelangel’s post</p>
<p>I’m a proud mother of a nerd. She is introverted in some ways, but mostly extroverted. She found a tribe of other misfit nerds and is reveling in the joy of being able to be smart.</p>
<p>She’s not gifted in every subject - which is the stereotype most gifted students face. In reality, really gifted students are gifted in one or several areas, and a bit awkward in others.</p>
<p>She pointed out that I’m a nerd too…Sigh. She’s right :-)</p>
<p>A nerd is a smart kid with no social skills</p>
<p>Lol!</p>
<p>That’s what she says about my social skills. I’m going to adopt Intellectual badass. I like the sound of that!</p>
<p>Nerd is no longer a dirty word. At least among the kids my D hangs out with, it refers to really smart kids with smart-kid social skills. “Geek”, on the other hand, is supposedly not good.</p>
<p>@Dreamer: Nerd- person who is smart and likes it, not just happens to be so. Usually somewhat of an overachiever. Actually intellectual, not just smart at school (book wise).</p>