What do nerdy people do?

[Marik2]

Especially since college students don't interact much... at least not like they did in primary school.

What?

Seriously, what?

I met more people and made more friends in my first year of college - of living in a dorm, joining clubs, etc - than I have ever made in such a short span anywhere else in my entire life. Including primary school. The only time that even came close was my first years of Grad school.

What do 20 year old nerds do? They join college clubs. Anime club. Gaming club. Photography club. Science club. Fencing club. That club where you dress up like people from the 1500s and hit eachohter with foam swords.

You're hanging out at a Public Library? Um, try your campus Library. No kids there.

Do you live in a dorm? Does that dorm have a lounge with a TV? Take a video game console there, plug it in, and start playing. People will occasionally peer around behind you and ask what you're doing. Tell them. Invite them to watch or, if it is appropriate, to play.

You like a particular video game? A particular sci-fi show? Get a T-Shirt. If anyone says "hey, awesome Doctor Who shirt" (or whatever) then you introduce yourself and ask what they thought of the latest episode (or, again, whatever).

Seriously, college is the easiest place in the world to meet fellow nerds, geeks, and otaku.

My college has no clubs, no dorms, and no library.

But it's one of the top five colleges in the country for Law Enforcement, so...

Edit: It's Indian River State, if anyone is wondering.

That explains a lot....

But seriously no library? WTF?

 

[Kopikatsu]

My college has no clubs, no dorms, and no library.

But it's one of the top five colleges in the country for Law Enforcement, so...

Edit: It's Indian River State, if anyone is wondering.

ok dude i just spent 30 seconds to google your college, and I found 55 clubs. Here's the proof:

Spoiler: lots of text

Clubs and Activities

Indian River State College currently has over 55 student clubs on campus that cover a wide range of interests. At IRSC we want every student to ?GET INVOLVED?. We want you to find ways to benefit from your time at IRSC outside of the classroom.

While academic study is your primary reason for attending college there is much to be learned from taking advantage of the many opportunities offered at IRSC. By joining a club you will gain valuable skills that will compliment your education and make you a well-rounded member of our community.

All the clubs listed in the "CCG and Student Handbook" are available at IRSC. They are divided into categories with a brief description which will help you determine the club that's right for you! The important thing is to get involved and find a club that's right for you. Your college experience will be enriched through new friends and activities! There are many special events throughout the year in which you can participate. If you would like to help with any activities (and we can always use help), please contact the Student Activities office in the River Commons Building (formally KSU).[

Seriously dude just LOOK for christs sake.
No library? You sure about that? http://www.irsc.edu/libraries/aboutthelibraries/aboutthelibraries.aspx?id=1203

You sir, are either lazy or for some reason didn't know your school has a website. I can't believe I'm linking stuff from your own website to answer your questions
http://www.irsc.edu/students/students.aspx

In the 0.1% chance that there is more than one Indian River State College, then disregard my post entirely

My college has no clubs, no dorms, and no library.

But it's one of the top five colleges in the country for Law Enforcement, so...

Edit: It's Indian River State, if anyone is wondering.

You need to reexamine what is available at your school.

Your student government runs events and programs, including 55 clubs, and they have provisions for you to start your own official campus clubs if you wish. http://www.irsc.edu/students/studentactivities/ccg/ccg.aspx?id=706

You also appear to have multiple libraries:
http://www.irsc.edu/libraries/libraries.aspx

There are 4-5 different ones. Most of the stuff shown there (Like the clubs) are held/located at Main Campus. I'm at Chastain. Main is rather...far away.

Edit: Well, Morgade is actually close to the campus although it isn't on-campus. That also happens to be the library that I volunteer at.

 

[Stasisesque]

I can't really say seeing as most of the people I know do fuck all except work and watch tv or play games. I seemed to find a group of friends in school/college who have no real interest in doing anything.

I have to congratulate you on putting more effort into it than I have though.

Especially since college students don't interact much... at least not like they did in primary school.

What?

Seriously, what?

I met more people and made more friends in my first year of college - of living in a dorm, joining clubs, etc - than I have ever made in such a short span anywhere else in my entire life. Including primary school. The only time that even came close was my first years of Grad school.

What do 20 year old nerds do? They join college clubs. Anime club. Gaming club. Photography club. Science club. Fencing club. That club where you dress up like people from the 1500s and hit eachohter with foam swords.

You're hanging out at a Public Library? Um, try your campus Library. No kids there.

Do you live in a dorm? Does that dorm have a lounge with a TV? Take a video game console there, plug it in, and start playing. People will occasionally peer around behind you and ask what you're doing. Tell them. Invite them to watch or, if it is appropriate, to play.

You like a particular video game? A particular sci-fi show? Get a T-Shirt. If anyone says "hey, awesome Doctor Who shirt" (or whatever) then you introduce yourself and ask what they thought of the latest episode (or, again, whatever).

Seriously, college is the easiest place in the world to meet fellow nerds, geeks, and otaku.

I really do envy Americans in terms of college. It sounds so much more enjoyable than college in England which is pretty much just more school but separated from younger people. No clubs, no dorms, it is basically school for older people with the exception of fewer subjects taken, just at a higher level.

When you see Americans talking about college, substitute it for University. They don't mean our colleges. Our colleges would be more equivalent to community college in America.

 

[frizzlebyte]

The OP sounds almost exactly like my situation. It's a little freaky, BTH.

Anyway, I second the joining college clubs and whatnot. Whatever sounds interesting join up for it. I'm in the chess club, gonna go to my first meet next week. Already got emails wanting to play with me, so it looks like its gonna be cool.

 

[Shuguard]

I would recommend trying events and adventures. It's supposed to be a place where you go and meet other people like you (or you can specify) events to attend and try new things and maybe even meet someone. If not MMORPG gaming and finding a good guild to join can help.

I can relate to your situation. I don't have a lot of friends and I don't personally use events and adventures, but I usually find one person in a college class I can have a decent time with per class I take.

 

[the doom cannon]

snip

ok that information would have been useful. I apologize for being douchy. Maybe you should transfer to the main campus or another nearby college or university? It's extra work and more money with housing and food costs, but you would probably be happier.

 

[itsthesheppy]

LARPs.

Meetups local to you for things you're interested in.

Just go out and do things you find interesting.

 

[Blow_Pop]

I go to raves to listen to the music. Sometimes it's just better live. I also go to amusement parks(and work at one for Halloween season). I meet people at the library or even just shopping. Most people I meet, I meet through others. One of my girl friends just had a baby shower a few weeks ago and I met a shit ton of people who drink a lot and do parties/get togethers and they're trying to help me with my problem of not being social and not getting out of my house much and invite me over every chance they get. And they're all gamers and geeks and nerds. So our conversations all involve video games, books, movies, and music. Plus y'know regular life, bitching about work and such. Conventions are good. And I barely ever drink but I'll still go to a bar occasionally. I'll usually order a glass of water or pop and watch people. Try meeting people at a mall. Like employees when they aren't busy. I also hang out at video game stores and hobby stores. It's really just a matter of what you have near you.

Look man, if you try desperately to make friends, you won't find any. Just fucking chill out. If you meet someone you get along with, you do, if not, you don't. Do your thing, I'd advise against joining clubs and going to places with the sole intent of meeting new friends. But what the fuck do I know? I may be socially awkward, but I'm that special kind of socially awkward that still gets along with everyone just fine even if I'm a bit crazy sometimes.

Also, I have to agree with this. It's the same with dating. If you go out, go with the intention of having fun. Not the intention of meeting someone. The desperation will turn people away from you.

 

[TaintedSaint]

Post on the Escapist forum.

 

[GameMaNiAC]

Spoiler: For some reason, the title reminded me of this. Don't ask why.

OT: Well, there's not really anything specific that 'nerds' in their 20s do. Everyone has their own preferences and personality. Just do what you enjoy doing.

 

[Vault101]

So...this is kind of awkward.

Spoiler: Skip this part if you don't want a preface/context

I'll just say that I'm a 20 year old guy who never had much of a childhood or any kind of meaningful social interaction due to reasons mostly outside of my control. Not having any real life friends to hang out with never really bothered me until a short while after high school ended, at which point it started to get a bit lonely being alone all the time. Especially since college students don't interact much...at least not like they did in primary school.

Anyway, I signed up on a few dating sites (More looking for friends than actual dates- honest) but that didn't pan out. I started to volunteer at the library near my house to try and meet people who might share an interest of mine (reading) but...it's mostly only really old people who visit the library, and there isn't much talking that takes place which makes it difficult to get to 'know' people. So, I started doing things like signing up for Chantango and tried to find people that lived within a few miles of me to talk to and maybe start a friendship, but the 37~ people who were near me apparently didn't use the service anymore since I stalked them like a creeper for a few weeks, without anyone signing on at all...

Aaaaanyway, I saw that there was a week where the library was holding a few events for teenagers and so I went there on Monday to check it out, but teenagers in this case ended up being a handful of kids aged 8-13... I'm 6'6", 20, and at the time I had a sizable beard. Basically I was the creepy old guy and I tried to kind of befriend a few of them, but I was mostly avoided...not that I can blame them, especially because my social skills are still pretty 'eh'. In any case, it just kind of got depressing after a while and I left. Which leads me to ask this question:

What do the 'geeks' of my age (20) do? I tried asking without the 'geek' modifier and just came up with 'party/club/whatever', but I'm really not into that sort of thing. At all. Especially because I'm deathly allergic to alcohol.

ah...so you want to socially reconnect but jsut dont know where to start

I can understand that..its hard, and think its also somthing that just "kinda" happens its hard to make it happen

not sure what advice I can give since I kind of have the same problem....you have to find common ground somhow...and somthing on a regular basis (like work, classes, that kind of thing) I guess because you see the peopel regurly and can build up familiairy, I think thats a major thing

if yor still at university are there any clubs or somthing you could join? that seems like an option...also confidence is important

 

[Teacakes]

I've generally felt out of place among other people for as long as I can remember, and it used to bother me to a level I won't talk about here, but after a while I stopped caring. I've been going to college full-time for a few years and I haven't made any friends--while it does bother me that I'm scared of social interaction, I'm okay with being alone most of the time. The trick is to only do things that don't require other people.

Though with the way gaming is going these days, it's looking like you'll have to play with others to get the most out of a game. I'm not looking forward to it.

 

[Aetera]

Get a nerdy t-shirt of whatever you're interested in. Anyone that comments on it is an instant potential friend that you know you have something in common with. It works really well.

 

[MMSouthpawVIII]

I've never been outgoing so I've always just found one or two people that i sat close to in my classes and tried to find a common interest. Not much advice, sorry.

although because of this thread I decided to check out my school's groups and I guess there is one called "Bacon Tuesdays" with the sole purpose of getting together on Tuesdays to eat bacon.

 

[goldenjester]

So...this is kind of awkward.

Spoiler: Skip this part if you don't want a preface/context

I'll just say that I'm a 20 year old guy who never had much of a childhood or any kind of meaningful social interaction due to reasons mostly outside of my control. Not having any real life friends to hang out with never really bothered me until a short while after high school ended, at which point it started to get a bit lonely being alone all the time. Especially since college students don't interact much...at least not like they did in primary school.

Anyway, I signed up on a few dating sites (More looking for friends than actual dates- honest) but that didn't pan out. I started to volunteer at the library near my house to try and meet people who might share an interest of mine (reading) but...it's mostly only really old people who visit the library, and there isn't much talking that takes place which makes it difficult to get to 'know' people. So, I started doing things like signing up for Chantango and tried to find people that lived within a few miles of me to talk to and maybe start a friendship, but the 37~ people who were near me apparently didn't use the service anymore since I stalked them like a creeper for a few weeks, without anyone signing on at all...

Aaaaanyway, I saw that there was a week where the library was holding a few events for teenagers and so I went there on Monday to check it out, but teenagers in this case ended up being a handful of kids aged 8-13... I'm 6'6", 20, and at the time I had a sizable beard. Basically I was the creepy old guy and I tried to kind of befriend a few of them, but I was mostly avoided...not that I can blame them, especially because my social skills are still pretty 'eh'. In any case, it just kind of got depressing after a while and I left. Which leads me to ask this question:

What do the 'geeks' of my age (20) do? I tried asking without the 'geek' modifier and just came up with 'party/club/whatever', but I'm really not into that sort of thing. At all. Especially because I'm deathly allergic to alcohol.

Try going to you FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store). Usually you'll find some pretty cool people there, and while most of them may be primarily interested in CCGs, Tabletop RPGs, and Skirmish Games, but usually there is significant gaming crossover. Just try to go on a Magic: The Gathering or Warmachine night (avoid Yu-Gi-Oh day, if possible).

If you don't have a FLGS, I'm truly sorry.