The Banner

Junior high, my most prized possessions were my purple Converse high-tops. After buying them with my own money, I wore them nearly every day of seventh grade. Paired with a plaid shirt and a black skirt (and occasionally a pair of suspenders), I assumed I was the height of fashion-" even though no one my age wore Converse shoes, much less high-tops.

As my college career progresses I have seen both the Converse shoe and the plaid shirt make a spectacular comeback, particularly among my college peers. During a recent trip to the mall the number of plaid shirts for sale overwhelmed me. What once marked my past style
as strange or awkward has simply become the norm.

Society has made a recent dramatic shift from the "Cool" to the "Awkward Cool." Whereas previously a nerd was mocked for his or her appearance (and perhaps thrown into a locker), admiring superheroes or wearing suspenders is now cause for a high-five and a nod of approval. Characters like Chuck and Sheldon Cooper are adored for their awkwardness, and movies often portray the lovable nerd landing his dream girl while saving the world from zombies or giant robots (all while effortlessly reprogramming an evil supercomputer). While earlier teen movies had the nerd undergo a miraculous makeover before he or she would be accepted, now society embraces the screen nerd for who he or she is, warts and all.

Clearly, a new trend is afoot.

The awkward is not only seen on the screen, but is reflectedinfashionaswell.Clothes that were previously scorned for their "nerdiness" are now considered "fun" and "hip". Wearing stripes with polka dots? Totally okay, as long as the colors go together. Giant glasses, suspenders and sweater vests? Yes please.

So what does this phenomenon mean? Do our social dysfunctions actually make us cool rather than objects of ridicule? Could it be that society will finally accept us as the nerds we secretly are? Not necessarily. Unfortunately for the brave souls who cling proudly to awkwardness, real life doesn't exactly mimic the movies. Although Hollywood's nerds are cute and lovable, most of them have a distinctly non-nerdy side that makes them extraordinary- as opposed to the average guy playing World of Warcraft in the corner. And while it may
be cool to wear coke-bottle glasses and go to the midnight premier of Harry Potter, no one really thinks dressing up like an elf for Halloween is cool (been there, done that)... and that's just sad.

If society can commend the awkward in films and style, why can't we embrace the real nerds among us? If we all like the same shows, the same clothes and the same computer systems, why can't we get along? The time has come to turn to a fellow nerd and say: "It's okay dude, I feel you."