A Geek’s Guide to Finding Love

So you’re a geek. A lonely geek. Maybe you’re a gamer-geek, or a math geek, or a sci-fi-geek, or even an A-V club geek.

We all know the preconceptions. Geeks smell bad, act weird, are really annoying, or any of a litany of sins that make us “undateable”. The fact is, geeks are the force that drives our civilization. We don’t just make the trains run on time, the build the blasted things. Unfortunately, geekiness, while it can be very productive, also usually comes with a degree of social ineptitude. I know, because I’m a geek, and I used to be socially inept, just like all my friends.

What changed? I used my geekiness to study my own situation. I found that, like any stereotype, many of the assumptions about geeks are based at some level on valid observations, blown out of proportion or misunderstood. When I exhibited one of those base properties or behaviors, I was reinforcing the stereotype. I realized that only my own habits were branding me as a geek to those around me. I resolved to reform those habits, and that made all the difference in the world.

The suggestions below won’t make you a movie star, and they won’t change who you are. Think of them as a foot in the door of mainstream society. Most potential mates will accept your inner geek, if they can get to know you first, before they realize you are one and can apply all their preconceptions.

Most people will think they only apply to male geeks, but believe me ladies, you could stand to pay attention!

Hygiene

Keep yourself clean. I can’t stress enough how important this one is. I know that you won’t get sick from bathing only once a week (or even every two weeks, if there’s a particularly exciting World of Warcraft campaign going on), but it really is obvious to everyone else! While you may not notice it, you smell, and your hair and skin look greasy. Most people find this repulsive. Seriously, it’s ten minutes’ work to jump in the shower. Try to do it every day.

Likewise, keep your mouth clean. Even if you are one of those rare people whose breath doesn’t stink when you skip brushing your teeth, you may not realize that people can see the weird goo that forms on your teeth where they meet your gums when you skip for a day or two. Sometimes it’s yellowish, sometimes it’s brownish, and sometimes it’s greenish, but it is always utterly disgusting! Again, 3 minutes a day dedicated to two brushing sessions isn’t a lot to dedicate to a major flaw.