“Hey, Nerd!”
Yesterday’s “cool kid” can’t rub their eyes hard enough at today’s differences. Comic books aren’t nerdy anymore? People voluntarily wear fanny packs? Coding is taught in schools? Buckle up, folks, because things aren’t how they used to be.
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1. Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Watch any ‘80s flick and you’ll spot the classic geek—huge glasses, probable acne, and nose buried in a sci-fi novel. Well, let this be a lesson to stay true to your hobbies because it wasn’t long after that people raved about the very thing they criticized.
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2. Dungeons & Dragons
Though D&D has existed for years, Baldur’s Gate 3 truly took it to the next level. You may still quirk a brow at a table full of wizards and clerics, but this classic tabletop RPG stopped being nerdy and quickly became the place to be.
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3. Cosplaying
It used to be that diehard fans were giant dweebs. It was bad if they donned their hero’s garb and worse when they attended conventions—but no longer. From months of planning to all that creativity, cosplayers are finally recognized for their hard work!
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4. Fandom T-Shirts
“Is that a Daily Bugle t-shirt? Wow, what a nerd.” So went the sad, common sentiment surrounding fandom shirts. However, the tides turned, and just about everybody has Cap’s shield on their chest nowadays.
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5. Anime
Despite the groundbreaking artwork and insightful storytelling, anime fans caught a lot of heat. Manga was targeted, too. But all it seemingly took was more streaming services before the western world finally caught on to its brilliance.
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6. All Day on the Computer
Before we really understood them, before everyone had one in their pockets, computers were for “nerds.” If you had no friends or party invites, you’d plop yourself in front of a screen to play some game no one heard of. But today, the latest task is pulling someone away from their screen.
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7. Online Dating
When online dating first hit the scene, it wasn’t something to brag about. It then rapidly picked up steam with every lonely heart downloading 20 apps to cast a wider net. Though, it’s hard to say that online dating was ever cool so much as it became socially acceptable…and its popularity seems to be dwindling once more.
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8. Video Games
Anyone who once looked down on video games can scarcely believe their eyes. With the popularity of e-sports and a steady increase in dedicated players, video games have never been so cool. In fact, you’re now the weird one for not appreciating them.
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9. Comic Books
Make way for the overplayed trope! For decades, comic books were only attributed to nerd culture. We’re not sure when exactly the pendulum swung, but today’s in-crowd loves comic books and superhero movies.
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10. Glasses
“Oh, you have glasses? This harmless accessory needed for literal eyesight? Nerd!” And that’s exactly what people thought of the dreaded Coke bottle glasses. Who would’ve thought that fashion moguls would love them today?
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11. Fanny Packs
There was a time you could spot uncles a mile away—all you had to do was look for the loaded fanny pack. Despite being an unsightly accessory, they refused to stay away, now worn on the waists of only the coolest kids.
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12. Coding
Despite STEM being the latest push in curriculum, no one anticipated just how prevalent coding would become. It was usually dismissed as some nerdy language trapped in an equally nerdy computer. Lo and behold, it’s now frequently taught in schools and can help land a good job.
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13. Thrifting
Second-hand stores weren’t exactly a hangout spot back in the day. Yet, fashionable teens and influencers alike flock to their local thrift stores today, scouring racks for the latest well-loved items.
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14. High-Waisted Pants
Speaking of well-loved items, high-waisted pants are back and coming to a thrift store near you. Hopefully you hung onto yours because they’re not only chic by today’s standards, but they’re also worn in abundance.
15. Weekends at Home
Weekends were for parties, dude! You weren’t cool unless you snuck out of the house and crashed a get-together with your friends. Well, times are much different and we’ve finally embraced the comfort of couch-surfing.
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16. Action Figures
Action figures were for children, not adults innocently collecting memorabilia from their favorite movies. That was indeed the mentality, though expensive collections are now thankfully socially acceptable.
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17. Trivia Nights
How dare you thrive at trivia or have fun with your friends? That’s for nerds! For some reason, being knowledgeable about anything was a huge red flag. We’re glad to see that mindset faded away. We’re even happier to see bars host trivia nights.
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18. Reading
Despite their wonder, those endless worlds filled with dragons or forbidden romances, books were dismissed as nerdy. Maybe it’s the celebrity book clubs or maybe people finally understand the hype, but we’re glad to see faces buried in pages.
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19. Vinyl Collections
It’s not that vinyl was “nerdy,” it’s that records were often in your grandparents’ basement. It might have been cool to sift through those milk crates, but no one really wanted a collection of their own…until now. Not only are the oldies making a comeback, but their vinyl is too.
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20. Good Grades
Put down the books, poindexter—only nerds get good grades. That’s right, you were a giant loser if you cared at all about education. Thankfully, we now recognize the importance of a high GPA.
