Am I a Nerd?

I did something very exciting today - I filled out my graduation application. So now I'm officially on the list of Tech's May graduates. Hard to believe that a two and a half year process is almost over... 8 weeks and counting!

Of course, I still have to pass the comprehensive exam, for which I will begin studying this week. I didn't want to start studying too early because I was afraid I wouldn't remember everything due to the time lapse between when I started and finished. I have retention issues.

A friend and I were discussing this last night on the telephone. It actually began as a conversation about books, his preference for non-fiction and mine for fiction. He claims a person should read "to learn something," and doesn't understand my reading fiction to fulfill a need to escape reality.

We debated the topic for a bit, and I finally said, "Look, I read plenty of non-fiction. And it all has to do with the counseling profession." I was referring to the wealth of material I have had to read for school.

He replied, "Well, you must not have learned much if you have to go back and study it all again in order to take this test."

"That's not true," I said. "I learned it. It's the retention of all the details that becomes a challenge in a comprehensive testing situation. I made straight A's in the curriculum. Not even a single 'B.'"

He got quiet for a second, then said, "Straight A's, huh? Sounds kinda nerdy to me."

Spoken like a true jock.

This little banter was all in fun, but it got me to thinking. Am I a nerd? And if I am, is that really a bad thing? My daughter will be a teenager next month, and she constantly rolls her eyes at me, as if to silently confirm my nerdiness. As I thought back on my life, I realized that several things about me point to my being a nerd. I have always made good grades, I'm a bit of a klutz, I get nervous in social situations and have to slow down my speech just to keep from stuttering... maybe I really am a nerd!

The weird part of this realization is that it doesn't bother me at all. Not even a little. In fact, I'm kinda proud. I embrace my inner nerd! Why? Because by doing so makes it okay to not be perfect. It makes it easier to laugh at my mistakes. And as the saying goes, "Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."