When most people think about nerds, geeks, dweebs, etc., they picture people with huge glasses, buck teeth, and extreme social awkwardness. While there are some nerds that may fit this description to a “T,” there are plenty of them out there that carry themselves with the same confidence that other people have. If you want to get out there in the dating world or just the world in general, you may want to avoid the stereotypical nerdy awkwardness. The tips below are designed to turn you from klutz to CIA agent in no time at all. Read on to see how you can avoid being awkward in a crowd.
You can be cool and nerdy at the same time. You don’t have to be completely disconnected from reality. When you have conversations with “normal” people, try to relate to “normal” topics of conversation – sports, politics, TV shows, music, etc. You don’t have to turn every conversation you have into a Star Trek trivia session. Try to get in touch with the regular guy or girl in you, and let the public see that person from time to time. You can save the blatant nerdiness for times when it’s truly applicable.
Build up Your Confidence
Have you ever noticed that the guy in the room surrounded by woman is the one that walks like he owns the place? That’s because confidence is enticing, exciting, exhilarating, and any other “e” adjective you can think of. Cockiness can be a turn off, but confidence is magnetic. If you carry yourself well, people won’t think you’re awkward. Make every step as if you planned to make it, and let other people see that you are proud of who you are. Whatever awkwardness you once had will fade away in no time.
Practice Poise
A little poise can go a long way in getting rid of your awkwardness. This is different than confidence because it is a physical attribute. It doesn’t have much to do with how you think or feel like confidence would. Learn to sit up straight, walk with one foot in front of the other, cross your legs at the ankles, etc. If you can present yourself as a poised person, you will not look nearly as awkward as you probably do now. I have a really hard time with this because I’m naturally clumsy. Nevertheless, I fight through it, and so can you.
Find a Role Model
You don’t have to find an actual role model to work with, but you should find someone to inspire your lack of awkwardness. This could be someone you actually know, or it could be someone you have seen on TV. For instance, you may want to carry yourself like your best friend or student body president. You may prefer to carry yourself like Tyra Banks or George Clooney. Whatever the case may be, it would be nice to have someone to watch over that you can mimic in your journey. Look around for a good role model, and you’ll be un-awkward in no time.
You can be a nerd without being an embarrassment to the people around you. Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory is awkward, as is Rajesh Koothrappali, Howard Wolowitz, and Leonard Hofstadter. You don’t want to be like those guys. Think of the not-so-awkward nerds from Glee. That’s what you want to aim for. Practice the tips above, and you’ll be on your way to a normal/nerdy life in no time.



