Today while I was sitting in the Terrace in the Wilk, a young man was going to various tables and asking those sitting there if they would like to know more about the scifi/fantasy club at BYU. Oh, how I wished he would come over to my table. I was probably the only person in the Terrace that actually did want to hear more about the club, yet he never came over to me. I stayed in the Terrace as long as possible, but I finally had to go to Choir.
For a while now, I've been noticing the differences in mine and my roommates' interests. Jenae loves sports, Emily loves France and new music, and Veronica just loves boys. Me? I absolutely love Sci-fi and fantasy. My favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. My favorite books are by Issac Asimov and Robert Jordan. There are so many things on campus that I want to go to, but I don't because I have no friends to go with. There was a Scifi/fantasy symposium every year at BYU called "Life, the Universe & Everything" that I wanted to go to so badly, but I just couldn't bring myself to go alone. Jenae said she'd come, but I didn't want her to be bored, as I knew she would be. I miss having those that share my love of scifi and fantasy. And I miss playing video games! I've played on my friends' Xbox a few times this semester, but I think they were a little surprised that I, a girl, liked video games. Everyone is always so surprised when they find out about my geeky side...I was reading Isaac Asimov's Nemesis in the laundry room last semester, and one of those same friends was rather surprised that I liked scifi. On Tuesday I mentioned to another guy in that apartment that I read Wired, and he was extremely surprised. I know I don't look like a geek. I don't have any geeky friends here. But is it really that surprising that I like these things? I could start dressing like the typical geeky girl: poorly done or no makeup, weird baggy clothes, and long unkempt hair. I could completely stop hanging out with my roommates, stop being interested in things like politics, sports, and music. I could stop dancing at stake dances. I know how to be geeky; they were my best friends in high school! The thing is, I don't want to look geeky. I like my style. I like having friends of diverse interests. I like having a wide variety of interests. The only problem with all of these things is that people don't know who I truly am: a full-fledged geek. The geekiest thing people know about me is that I'm a math major...except that as math education major, I kind of sidestep a lot of the geeky-ness. I guess I'm just an enigma. It reminds me of that song from Mulan, "when will my reflection show who I am inside," except I don't want to look like an uber geek. I just want to be me! I was raised to not be geeky...but I am. And I'm semi-normal...enough to convince others that I'm not a geek.
Can't I just be both?
I think all people have many facets to them. A label like "geek" is too narrow--there is so much more to a person than that. There is an idea in society today that people must choose one thing about which to obsess and with which to identify. Yet, no person is that limited. Think of Ben Franklin. The man was a philosopher, a scientist, a politician, a writer, etc. He didn't feel defined by one concept. Why should you? You have other interests too and could be great at many of them. Strive to fulfill your potential and be the greatest you can be. Go to the sci-fi club. Be in music stuff. Be a great chef. A great friend, daughter, sister, etc. Do it all. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut mom...that's the problem. In today's society, you do have to choose to fit only one stereotype. Most of my interests I don't completely have to be the same as everyone else, but to have geeky friends I have to be uber geeky. I can be lots of things, it's true, but I can't be lots of things and be geeky too. I have to choose to be geeky or else the geeks won't accept me.
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