Nerd.

I dont know what it is exactly that makes me laugh so hard from the word nerd. Maybe its just that its the cleanest possible insult word that I know. I remember when my dad went to open school night and met our new principal, I asked him when he got home what he thought of him and he just said "hes a nerd" It was hysterical. My dad just made fun of our new leader and he was my hero.
When I was in sixth grade, I was promoted to the smart class. Apparently my achievement test scores were in the 94th percentile. When I got my class cards revealing this new class number I cried and insisted that there was a mistake. "Thats the nerdy class", I said to my mom. I had her call the school to confirm. After a long conference with the dean, it was revealed that this was not a bad dream, I was now in the smart class. I already felt my friends distancing themselves. The nightmare was beginning.
Thing is, when youre in the average class, there is this unspoken bond between the classmates. Everyone passes their tests most of the time and everyones homework gets somewhat done and is in exactly the same wording. But the main mission on a daily basis was to goat each other on until someone got in trouble, thrown out of class and/or made a teacher cry or curse. We'd high five each other and brag about the havoc we wreaked over lunch mid day. My mind went blank. What the hell was I going to do in a class where no one cheated, and you were deemed cool based upon how many number 2 sharpened pencils you had on hand in your jansport? I didnt belong there. I didnt have a pen pal and I never made study plans on the weekend. I hated jeopardy and only ate sugar cereals for breakfast. I had never eaten a nutri grain bar and my mom wasnt on the PTA.
I went to class and sulked the whole time. "What do you mean everyone does their extra credit work on the weekend?" "Wait, everyone did ALL of their homework and no one wanted to "loan" me theirs during lunch time?" "We dont eat snacks during class and pass notes?? What the hell was this, reform school?" The kids in the class werent exactly inviting me to join their study clicks either. They were just as annoyed having me in the class as much as I was unhappy to be there. "She probably cheated" I once heard the head nerd say to the other queen nerd.
After crying in the principals office for days and nagging my mother to death, she finally agreed to insist that they change my class. My teacher whom I was terrified of, asked me to meet with her before lunch one day. I went sweaty palmed into the classroom . This 85 pound woman scared the living death out of me. She in her soft spoken voice, urged me to give it one last try. She completely believed in me and that made me feel good. I also felt sad because I knew that I was letting her down and everyone else who was so proud of me.
I did move classes, the teacher never did say hello to me again. My parents were so cool, they always supported the big fish in the little pond theory and it saved my mental state in school. I felt badly, but also so much happier to be with my friends and out of the nerdy zombie class. I was content sneaking tostitos at 10 am in my mouth in between sentences and one day even having to perform the heimlich maneuver on myself mid bite when the teacher called on me and I choked on the corn chip when i tried to hide my chewing. I was fine sharing my homework with my friend who was playing f-zero all night long on super nintendo and just didnt feel like doing their social studies work. This was where I was comfortable.
Looking back, its quite ironic that I felt so strongly because today I am content with being a nerd. I like to read and learn. I love sharpened pencils and I love nerds. Im still a complete goofball but I definitely have a nerdy side to me. I love going to the bookstore when I have nothing to do and getting lost inside. I love reading about things that I want to learn more about on Wikkipedia, and a trip to staples during back to school always excited me. Had I stayed in the nerdy class I probably wouldnt have been Student Council president, because lets face it, I won because I was crazy and goofy and because I had enough time on my hands (thanks to cliffs notes) to challenge teachers and insist that z100 be played in the hallways during period switches. Today, Id probably get more street cred had I been an awkward nerd in school, but I wasnt and thats that.