EC ec pecietioy Meno F42 ‘The term nerd has been used since 1950. Starting out as gibberish in a Dr. Seuss book, it quickly evolved to mean something similar to “drip” or “square” at the time. From bookworms to anime emtlusiasts; enthusiast this term ranges across many platforms of entertainment. Though the word is usually used as an insult, so many people bear the title with pride, Te evolution of the word-end-made it an umbrella ‘term for anyone with a passion deemed ‘unusual’. Personally | have worn the term nerd proudly since / middle school. The origins of my nerdieness could be argued to a couple points, The earliest being my’ brothers and my introduction to the world of comic books by my father since we could pay attention, and the world of sci-fi/fantasy novels by my mother. ‘The next in my memory being watching anime | oa te wad hiv {before I knew it was anime) on Saturday morning cartoons. The most recent being my passion for video 2“ Cnc! “tuvice — games being sparked by my brothers friend at my first sleep over. Each of these have been and are. "5 Work OM peuallebisy considered nerdy, and each has played a key role in my development as a person. My first passion is the one that | probably spend the most time on, manga. Manga are Japanese graphic novels dating back as early as 195$1. However, | was not introduced to manga directly, but by television shows based on them called Anime. My interest in anime started when | stumbled across a show called ‘One Piece’ while watching cartoons one Saturday morning. | watched this show every ‘morning for many Saturdays, until one day it got canceled. Years later I discovered that it was an anime, and that | could watch it and many others like it for free on some websites. At some point along the way | caught up on what was being released from the shows, but still wanted more. Itwas then that! . discovered the manga that these shows were based on and began reading them as well, Similar to manga, another interest | have is rea 1g comic books or American graphic novels. However, unlike manga | was introduced to them much more directly. For years as | child, as early as | can remember, my father got my brothers and I recording of old super hero shows on VHS tapes. This) went on until we began getting comics of our own, once we were able to understand them. Alongside,we MEMS vores haw Lohoct if ¢ ascone™ aud GAdid Some dualogue, perhaps 4d hor reading alivd-t her boys? Crd Yoo Frote fern mo my mother would read books well out of the age range of me and my brothers until we were able to ©) 1. novel, ? Qirwe -p hea u understand them ourselves. This sparked an interest in reading nerdy material before we could even read ourselves. Being drawn into a world of super powers, magic, futuristic technology and more; the ‘world of comics enthralled me. Being interested in science and how things worked made reading about fantastical/ supernatural feats even more interesting because it would allow my mind to explore the possible causes of what took place in the story for hours. The earlies comics | read were individual issues of “The incredible hulk” that my Dad has stock piled in a closet next to the game room. It wasn’t long before | had read through those and was eagerly awaiting for each monthly issue to arrive in the mail Such as with manga, | was not introduced to video games directly, but by watching them. As a Child | would go to joint sleep overs with my brother and a mutual friend, and as the youngest was given the privilege of sitting on the floor and watching as they played Super Smash Brothers Melee. It wasn’t Until a year or two late that | played my first videogames with my older brother and his friend, and | was hooked. Years later | got my first console and began playing games on my own, but the types of games | played quickly changed. | started out playing multi-player game with no other goal but to destroy your opponents. As I gained more freedom in the video game world, with the acqui n of my own console and money, | sought out games that would pull me in more. | wanted a task greater than “punch this person till you win", and that’s what | got. Games where | got to choose, explore, scavenge a massive world ripe for me to raze. And even more than before, | was hooked, >» | When deciding what to write this essay about | went through all the things | enjoy doing (and ‘some | don't) to find things that I never stop doing. While doing that|| realized that | often stop doing ‘one thing | enjoy and start doing another, frequently switching between them. | began thinking about what they have in common besides being considered nerdy. | considered why | do each of these things, and found one similarity that stood out the most; each of these things provides me with a deepJetuy (Pao ae Diageo _ enveloping story. Earlier in my life | used these stories to as an escape from the world around me. Now | use it to enhance it, as common grounds to make friends, discussion topics, or conversation starters. ‘These stories have helped me through thick and thin, and | enjoy nothing more than sharing them with eanceussion a 2ot others. : ol YT Pier explanotion of how yor cave +o ss hoe dase certain POSSIOCS WAS === Mayht combi sone sentences do nok lose He reader Ih what Yov'ct topic Cin _introduchen), Overall, yoor ESSOY WOs Ausonrce -