Meh, I'm a hot, social nerd/geek. Test me, bro. I can name all 13 Forsaken, I know that new roads demand a hoopak, and I'll maintain that Eric of Amber did nothing wrong. But anyone meeting me in my late 20s would just see a runner with killer legs, a fierce kind of pretty in the face, a friendly manner, and a vibrant social life. You'd have to chat a bit to find out I was getting my PhD in biology and I had shelves full of fantasy, sci-fi and manga. I'm married to a guy who was the hot, hilarious star of his high school football and baseball teams, and he's a talented computer programmer who's super into learning new computer languages. A nerd? A jock? Some mix of the two?

These boxes are becoming irrelevant in an increasingly technology-savvy world. I want every nerdy, geeky kid to know - your interests don't mean you can't be attractive or be able to talk charmingly with others who don't share those interests. Having social skills is great and useful, and don't let the gatekeepers tell you different.