Where Can I Find Real-Life Nerds Like Me?

[Femme_physics]

Where are all the nerds??

I don't get to meet enough nerds, seriously. Where are the Sheldons, the Urkels, or the nerdy people in physicsforums IRL? Where are they in MY real life, anyway? Is this all an illusion and people like that don't actually exist? Because I never get to meet people like that IRL. I even can't relate to my classmates, they only seem to be studying mechanical engineering for cash, not to the greater goal of fathoming science (whereas I do).

So, I always find MYSELF to be the biggest nerd around! I want someone who can challenge my nerdiness, and I shall challenge his. How is it possible that all my Monkey Island/Hitchhiker's Guide references are only getting me a blank stare? Has how is it that nobody from my class played Diablo or WoW?!? It's ridiculous!

Should I just look better or just start lowering my standards to non-nerds?(btw
This what I expect from a nerd:

- To be big on physics/math/engineering, and have ambitions in the realm of science
- Not be a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture
- Creative and inventive spirit
- Play computer games (not mandatory)
- Not to be too old for me, or too young (I'm 24)
- Have at least 1 weird hobby
- Enjoy using fancy words

))

 

[lisab]

The median nerdiness definitely increases dramatically in upper division classes. Plus, the f/m ratio gets gooooood .

 

[Ivan92]

The median nerdiness definitely increases dramatically in upper division classes. Plus, the f/m ratio gets gooooood .

Not much for engineering though (at least Computer Engineering at my school).

I am pretty nerdy if I say so myself (people tell me that as well), but I haven't played Diablo nor WoW. I am not much of a person that plays a lot of games, but I am thinking of getting into them because they seem so cool...but I could be using that time to study or play guitar.

 

[caffenta]

So, I always find MYSELF to be the biggest nerd around!

This is simply impossible. There is a forbidden nerd gap between men and women. The nerdiest level in the woman band is still way lower than the least neardiest level in the man band.

Your statement therefore violates accepted laws of physics . Please provide a peer-reviewed article that supports your assertion, or your post will be deleted as it does not meet the PF guidelines.



(is that nerdy enough?)

 

[Pengwuino]

It's mechanical engineering. I imagine inside the mechanical engineering department in my school is Big Foot II and a half disassembled diesel engine off a cruise ship. I never imagined mechanical engineers to be nerds. I think you're in the wrong field, come over to the dark side (hint: Sheldon is not a mechanical engineer).

 

[Evo]

I don't get to meet enough nerds, seriously. Where are the Sheldons, the Urkels, or the nerdy people in physicsforums IRL? Where are they in MY real life, anyway? Is this all an illusion and people like that don't actually exist? Because I never get to meet people like that IRL. I even can't relate to my classmates, they only seem to be studying mechanical engineering for cash, not to the greater goal of fathoming science (whereas I do).

So, I always find MYSELF to be the biggest nerd around! I want someone who can challenge my nerdiness, and I shall challenge his. How is it possible that all my Monkey Island/Hitchhiker's Guide references are only getting me a blank stare? Has how is it that nobody from my class played Diablo or WoW?!? It's ridiculous!

Should I just look better or just start lowering my standards to non-nerds?


(btw
This what I expect from a nerd:

- To be big on physics/math/engineering, and have ambitions in the realm of science
- Not be a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture
- Creative and inventive spirit
- Play computer games (not mandatory)
- Not to be too old for me, or too young (I'm 24)
- Have at least 1 weird hobby
- Enjoy using fancy words

))

I grew up near NASA. Every guy I met worked there, they were all aerospace engineers, or they trained astronauts, or were in some very geeky scientific specialty. It was good. There were also 50 men to every woman.

So, hang out near large concentrations of nerds. My best friend wanted to marry a doctor, so she went to a bar near the medical center. She married a neurologist.

 

[caffenta]

My best friend wanted to marry a doctor, so she went to a bar near the medical center. She married a neurologist.

But but but! I thought you girls wanted a guy who was sensitive and funny and who listened and (yada yada). I thought money and status wasn't an issue. Now the truth comes out...

That's it. I'm leaving the situation and hanging myself with the celibate rope. Bust it!

 

[rootX]

I grew up near NASA. Every guy I met worked there, they were all aerospace engineers, or they trained astronauts, or were in some very geeky scientific specialty. It was good. There were also 50 men to every woman.

So, hang out near large concentrations of nerds. My best friend wanted to marry a doctor, so she went to a bar near the medical center. She married a neurologist.

Shouldn't you also have gone for a doctor?

 

[Evo]

Shouldn't you also have gone for a doctor?

I should have, I went for funny, smart, nice and poor instead. I thought doctors were too full of themselves.

 

[Pengwuino]

But but but! I thought you girls wanted a guy who was sensitive and funny and who listened and (yada yada). I thought money and status wasn't an issue. Now the truth comes out...

That's it. I'm leaving the situation and hanging myself with the celibate rope. Bust it!

Yah it's all a crock.

On an unrelated note, I'm single, sensitive, funny, and listen to yada yada.

 

[caffenta]

On an unrelated note, I'm single, sensitive, funny, and listen to yada yada.

They don't care. Better start working on your MD and a get fat wallet.

On an unrelated note, I'm a doctor and my wallet is so fat it goes to the gym!

I'm not an MD doctor, but they don't need to know that.

 

[Femme_physics]

I'd hate to go out of my way to meet a nerd, I am kinda hoping this happens around my circle. But yea, I guess mechanical engineering isn't really all that nerd-centered.

So, I've been seriously considering (not just for its nerds value) to change a field.

My top thoughts are:

1) Medical engineering (I have a meeting Monday to see what are my chances)
2) Electrical engineering (Because I love chips and artificial intelligence)
3) Software engineering (Always fascinated me)

Sadly computer engineering field is an impossibility for me due to far higher admission requirements, but if I could get in it'd probably top software engineering.

 

[caffenta]

1) Medical engineering (I have a meeting Monday to see what are my chances).

Ha! Figures!

 

[Femme_physics]

This is simply impossible. There is a forbidden nerd gap between men and women. The nerdiest level in the woman band is still way lower than the least neardiest level in the man band.

Your statement therefore violates accepted laws of physics . Please provide a peer-reviewed article that supports your assertion, or your post will be deleted as it does not meet the PF guidelines.



(is that nerdy enough?)

YES! LOL, this is so turning on hehe. I got much more of a fetish than I thought! Damn it. Just makes me think more that I got the short end somehow in my circle.

 

[Femme_physics]

Ha! Figures!

Oh, lots of girls there?

 

[caffenta]

YES! LOL, this is so turning on hehe. I got much more of a fetish than I thought! Damn it. Just makes me think more that I got the short end somehow in my circle.

Words. Words that turn to bitter wax in my ears. You're too late sister.

Oh, lots of girls there?

See the above posts about doctors, starting from Evo's. That's really all you girls want, isn't it? And us PhD's aren't good enough. Only the guys with them stethoscopes are good enough.

 

[Femme_physics]

Words. Words that turn to bitter wax in my ears. You're too late sister.

Humphf!

See the above posts about doctors, starting from Evo's. That's really all you girls want, isn't it? And us PhD's aren't good enough. Only the guys with them stethoscopes are good enough.

Never! I'm not at all big on docs. I agree they're full of themselves. However, I really like engineering applications of medicine. That's different from MD's. I prefer PhD's.

Regardless, the above posts don't answer my question...but I'll make a new thread about it since I'm so curious.

 

[caffenta]

I'm just kidding, you know.

 

[rootX]

Engineer can fix all the house
Doctor can fix all the body parts

That sounds like a nice combination

 

[Lisa!]

I should have, I went for funny, smart, nice and poor instead. I thought doctors were too full of themselves.

Well, I guess they are!(well at least my experience says so)
I've been dating this cute doctor recently but I guess that doesn't work since I have to be very careful not to offend his feelings but he just doesn't care about my feelings that much.

 

[JaWiB]

- To be big on physics/math/engineering, and have ambitions in the realm of science
- Not be a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture
- Creative and inventive spirit
- Play computer games (not mandatory)
- Not to be too old for me, or too young (I'm 24)
- Have at least 1 weird hobby
- Enjoy using fancy words

What exactly do you mean by weird hobby? For instance, some of the things my fellow physics graduate students enjoy: board games, brewing beer, rock climbing, playing music, martial arts, hiking, gardening, and cooking. I wouldn't consider many of those "nerdy" but we're all definitely nerds on some level. The main thing that comes to mind is that 90% of my jokes don't seem to work around my non-physics friends.

 

[Femme_physics]

Like fishing and birdwatching, I consider it kinda weird unless you live a minute out of a lagoon. But perhaps it could also be "nerdy hobby" now that I think of it. Things more along the lines of Chess and D&D...

 

[caffenta]

Like fishing and birdwatching, I consider it kinda weird unless you live a minute out of a lagoon.

Oh, that's what you mean by weird. Good thing I didn't reveal what my weird hobbies were then, because, uhm, never mind.

 

[Topher925]

I think you're just going to the wrong school. Myself and all the fellas I associate with at school are exactly as you described in your OP.

- big on physics/math/engineering, and have ambitions in the realm of science.
We started a student org at my school entirely devoted to alternative energy where we build things like fuel cells and solar panels from scratch and teach others about alt energy as well
- not a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture
Most nerds I know don't drink or chase girls, including myself
- Creative and inventive spirit
Goes without saying.
- Play computer games (not mandatory)
BFBC2 pwns.
- Not to be too old for me, or too young (I'm 24)
I'm 25, most nerds that I know at my school are 22-25
- Have at least 1 weird hobby
I'm into electronics and astronomy (I just got a 12" dob!). Other guys I know are really into fishing, linux, and hacking.
- Enjoy using fancy words
Thesaurus.com is bookmarked right below PF

My advice to you, transfer, because you're uni is obviously reprehensible (Thesaurus.com ftw!).

 

[Femme_physics]

LOL!

Yea, I'd like to transfer-- sadly I can't. I have to complete a huge amount of non-science related material that would take me years (Bible & history among others). Instead, I'm taking on a minor engineering degree in mechatronics that would also take years as well, but at least it's science and I find it very easy to study. There is only about 1 nerd in my class, who I sit next to all the time and is practically my best buddy there. He's kinda shut down in terms of emotions, kind of a stoic nerd guy, but terribly cute. Thin, glasses-wearing one. I make it a point to rub his shoulder every now and then when I pass around him. He doesn't seem to mind But it's hard to get close to someone so... how do I put it... "in love with himself". Is that necessarily a nerdy quality? It's hard to deeply associate with people like that...but we joke around a lot and he's definitely one of my favorite people...

 

[Zryn]

That original post sounds like one of those too good to be true advertising scams. Since when do girls like any of those things

 

[jhae2.718]

I don't get to meet enough nerds, seriously. Where are the Sheldons, the Urkels, or the nerdy people in physicsforums IRL? Where are they in MY real life, anyway? Is this all an illusion and people like that don't actually exist? Because I never get to meet people like that IRL. I even can't relate to my classmates, they only seem to be studying mechanical engineering for cash, not to the greater goal of fathoming science (whereas I do).

So, I always find MYSELF to be the biggest nerd around! I want someone who can challenge my nerdiness, and I shall challenge his. How is it possible that all my Monkey Island/Hitchhiker's Guide references are only getting me a blank stare? Has how is it that nobody from my class played Diablo or WoW?!? It's ridiculous!

Should I just look better or just start lowering my standards to non-nerds?


(btw
This what I expect from a nerd:

- To be big on physics/math/engineering, and have ambitions in the realm of science
- Not be a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture
- Creative and inventive spirit
- Play computer games (not mandatory)
- Not to be too old for me, or too young (I'm 24)
- Have at least 1 weird hobby
- Enjoy using fancy words

))

It might be useful to define a mathematical representation of nerdiness. I propose the Nerdiness Function, N(t), where $$N(t) \in \mathbb{C}^n$$*. Nerdiness is a function of time, and has both real and imaginary components. $$\Re(N(t))$$ is based on the binary logarithm of the arithmetic mean of one's scores ($$\bar{s}$$) plus one on the Nerd Test v2.0, and $$\Im(N(t))$$ is the scores one wished they had attained, or in other words the attitude toward being a geek/nerd with the same transformation applied. So,
$$N(t) := [\log_2(\bar{s})+1] + [\log_2(\bar{s}_{desired})+1]\mathrm{j}$$
Nerdiness is a function of time based on the time histories of score results of the Nerd Tests, with $$t_0$$ defined as the Unix epoch. So, if $$\dot{N} > 0$$, one is increasingly nerdy and the opposite for $$\dot{N} \leqslant 0$$. (E.g. N(t) for me would be 0.717 + 1j.)

Perhaps some statistical analysis and Monte Carlo simulations may provide some more information. Unfortunately, back-of-the-envelope Fermi estimates are made difficult in this case by the lack of decent numbers. (This was my conclusion when looking into using a version of the Drake equation to estimate the number of possible female engineering students I might find interesting. Parameters were either unattainable or unknowable from my frame of reference)

Sometimes, http://xkcd.com/55/" .


*Also, let's postulate that N is invariant under all linear transformations, if for no other reason than that I like that phrase.

 

[Femme_physics]

That original post sounds like one of those too good to be true advertising scams. Since when do girls like any of those things

Well, I do, I don't know and I don't care why they don't.

It might be useful to define a mathematical representation of nerdiness...

LOL. Nice...

 

[Obsidian222]

I agree, where are they, I like sciency nerds, cause I am the exact opposite...nothing more romantic than a guy explaining calculus to me, even though I won't understand a word of it!

 

[JaWiB]

Aww, that's a disappointing attitude to have. My dream world is one where everyone learns at least a bit of calculus.

 

[Calrid]

The Big Bang Theory is bs, didn't you know. Most physics nerds I know had to be socially sophisticated as they were at the end of the day selling a service.

I am a Lord of the Rings Nerd and a physics Nerd, which makes me an uber nerd, bow before me peons.

 

[story645]

Not be a part of men's "chicks, beers and cars" culture

Does not exist. Hell, it's given as one of the reasons for why there are so few women in many of the STEM fields. I've spent lots of time around geeks (engineering geeks, robotics geeks, linux user group geeks, tech meetup geeks, harry potter geeks, video game geeks, etc) and they're almost all into chicks and beer on some level. I know it can get kind of super awkward for a bit, but once you get over it and learn how to change the topic it gets better.
As for meeting nerds? Try clubs that do stuff (like robotics or SAE, or whatever club fixes cars at your school) and meetups and your local linux users group, and start talking to people. I found out that my lab is full of anime geeks through repeated convo, not 'cause they offered the info in the first place. Most people don't show up to school in a WoW t-shirt and all that jazz.

Since when do girls like any of those things

I do. *shrugs* Girls are human and all that jazz.

 

[Calrid]

I do. *shrugs* Girls are human and all that jazz.

You lie!

 

[Steppn]

Proportionately, the 'nerdy' type people are a very small percentage of our human personality types, thus, the population.

Male 'nerdy' (science) types tend to gather together, eg as someone pointed out, NASA, or research centres, wherever scientists can follow, develop, 'do' their 'work'.

Work being the operative word.

Female 'nerds' do not gather together quite as much.

If Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed...

 

[Obsidian222]

Obi wonders how she can get herself from Australia to the Lunch Room at N.A.S.A every day. <.< >.< >.> *sigh*