<p>Well, I knew I am a nerd when I was in high school, but it wasn't 'till I came to college that I started to feel it so strongly. I am friendly with everybody, but the problem is that hanging out with friends, talking/listening to their nonsences is really not that interesting for me. So I really like it better to stay in my room and study/read. The problem is that if I do it, I will still blame myself for missing part of my college experience. But still I don't feel comfortably with my friends as I usually feel as if I was 5 years older than everybody else, although I am the same age as they are. So what should I do? Will I miss any part of my college experience if I don't socialize that much with people?</p>
<p>You just need to find people whose interests are similar to yours. Also it might help to realize that listening to the nonsense isn't always a waste of time. Helps you understand people better and how to deal with people who aren't exactly like you. </p>
<p>As far as feeling older than everyone else, I get that because I've always been the same way. It's particularly difficult since I feel that way and am significantly younger than the people in my year. There are lots of people out there who have interests like you and who you'll be able to relate to, you just need to find them. </p>
<p>So yeah. Don't isolate yourself because you'll never meet people that way and you will end up feeling like you missed out after a few years. Instead, try hanging out at different places. Instead of house parties try bookstores or cafes or the library or whatever. Just get out into public a little instead of locking yourself in the dorm. And don't get too upset about it. You'll find people that you enjoy being with, it just might take longer than the built-in friends that you have from high school or your dorm or classes.</p>
<p>nerds are awesome!!! go find more to hang out with...</p>
<p>Sometimes, actually participating in their "nonsense" can be tons of fun. I know that I used to try to distance myself from people who I used to think were stupid and did dumb stuff, citing that I was better than them. A prime example was a guy in my econ class. He brought in a bottle and was dipping in class just right next to me. I was thinking, "*** is this guy doing?" But I started talking to him and now I don't know why I thought he was so bad. Hell, we were even laughing at a girl who had a funny walk during class today. I don't know why I'm so judgmental of people. Time and time again, I've learned that they aren't bad, but I do it everytime.</p>
<p>TAKE THE INITIATIVE. You have to be the first to connect with someone. You'll find that many people are just like you, thinking that the first time they speak to someone, they are going to be made fun of. That hardly ever happens.</p>
<p>im about to start college, but im one of those "nerdy" people who ask lots of questions during class, just because that's how i learn best. in high school some people thought that humorous and i'd get made fun of a bit. is that an issue in college still?</p>
<p>Dude totally. I always feel horrible because there's always a girl in my class that I initially decide to hate for no reason and then I inevitably get to know her and she usually ends up being my favorite person ever. Must stop prejudging.</p>
<p>But sometimes, yeah, you just don't connect with people. I stayed friends with people for years that I had nothing in common with. Some of the friendships ended up decent regardless of the differences, but some of the friendships were pretty fake and pointless because there were insurmountable differences. You have to be openminded though and at least try to get to know people before you write them off and retreat to your dorm.</p>
<p>Imran- they won't make fun of you, but at some point the may get annoyed. Also remember though that professors have office hours and are generally pretty open to helping through email, so you'll have a lot more opportunities to ask questions outside of class than you did in HS.</p>
<p>Imran - </p>
<p>If it's a lecture class, limit yourself to asking one question per lecture - or going up afterwards to ask follow-ups. Office hours are far and away the best place to ask questions.</p>
<p>The reason you might get made fun of is for how inconsiderate it is towards the other students. Yes, you have a right to learn, and all that - but at some point, you're monopolizing the teacher's attention and it's so jarring to the flow of the class, that everyone resents it because it's almost as if you're making the class all about yourself rather than the instructor's presentation of the material.</p>
<p>This is even more true in a seminar, with a dozen people or so. Dialog and mutual respect are the key to actually getting anything out of the discussions, so make it feel more like a 12-way conversation than an interrogation between you and the instructor.</p>
<p>I sympathize with your desire to extract as much information out of your time in class as possible. But if everyone took the "ask a question every time one pops into your head" approach, it would be utter chaos. Try to keep it balanced.</p>
<p>/no, i'm not bitter at eager beavers in my lectures at all, why do you ask?</p>
<p>Yeah, agreed.</p>
<p>why don't you call up MTV and see if you can be "Made" :rolleyes:</p>
<p>
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but im one of those "nerdy" people who ask lots of questions during class
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<p>actually that's annoying regardless of whether you are a nerd or a jock....I say this as a nerd :rolleyes:</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>I'm in highschool, and I take a very selfish approach to my education. If I don't get it, I'm gonna ask. And I won't feel bad, either. </p>
<p>Kids who ask the questions get the higher grades. At some point if the presentation of the information is important to get out, a good teacher won't call on you. </p>
<p>Frankly, your education is about you. Especially when you pay 40 grand a year to get it. But that's just my philosophy.</p>
<p>Office hours are a nice concept and all, but when the question is relevant to the understanding of what comes after it...then you need to ask it before the entire lecture goes over your head, and shouldn't be afraid to ask because other people think it's "annoying".</p>
<p>Rytis-
You must have some interests besides studying and reading. If there isn't already a club/group at your school, start one! You'll find others, not just freshmen, with similar interests.</p>
<p>Volunteer with some school or community based groups--you'll be doing good while meeting people.</p>
<p>haha yeah i can see how it could be viewed as an inconvneinece. i will cut down during lecture, since there are office hours. Plus I have mandatory discussions, so i guess I could ask then.</p>
<p>Super Fantastic youll find out when you get to college and go to a few big lectures where only one person spends half the lecture asking questions and disturbing the other hundred people (or more) that are trying to learn as well.</p>
<p>Yeah. It's nice that you're in control of your education, but stopping the professor every 5 minutes to clarify something that you could wait to ask after class isn't just annoying, it's inconsiderate. I can't tell you how many times I've been in lectures where the professor will say something and someone will raise their hand and basically just repeat what the professor just said. It slows down the pace of the class and I guarentee that the lecture won't be completely lost on you 20 minutes later when class is dismissed.</p>
<p>if youre a nerd you are doomed. nobody will like you. youll be alienated in all aspects of life.</p>
<p>HAHAHAH just kidding. i just felt like saying that for the heck of it. just be who you are and youll be fine.</p>
<p>just go ahead and do the "stupid stuff" sometimes :)</p>
<p>Nerds are hot.</p>
<p>I have the same problem. I find what most people my age talk about uninteresting, and I feel like a poser when I try to pretend to be interested. You just have to find the right people to make good friends.</p>
<p>mikcou- totally. There's one girl in my lectures (EVERYBODY now knows her as the 'girl') who asks questions that's not really important and insignificent so the professor usually doesn't know the answer. Of course the professor doesnt wanna say straight out that she does not know the answer so she dodges it, and the "girl" asks it again in a different way for like 5 minutes.</p>
<p>SOO annoying. It's annoying when you have over 100+ people and one person keeps on asking annoying questions every other day.</p>
<p>BTW just hang around with people you can talk to. I knew people that i never felt comfortable around, after 2 yrs of knowing them somewhat. There are people definately like you and you'll enjoy hanging out with them. ^_^)</p>
<p>see i don't ask questions that are irrelevant. they're just ones that help me understand a concept better, so it may be like asking for an example or something like that. man i feel so lonely though - at my high school i had my little group of friends who had similar intellectual interests as i do. at my college now, i only find upperclassmen who share similar ideas/interests as i do, none of my peers though. i mean, having friends who enjoy doing hte same recreantional activities as me is one thing, having friends who are on the same intellectual wavelenght as you are, not to mention having similar career desires and intellectual pursuits is a totally different thing. and yeah im the hottest nerd i've ever seen :)</p>