why do people call people nerds ???? it makes me mad when people do stuff like that

It's kind of already been said before, but I'm going to put my own spin on it because I want to.

Anyone who calls you a nerd is trying to make you feel bad about being smart. Also, they're trying to incite a reaction out of you. If you own up to it and take it to mean something good, it takes the power away from the name-caller and turns it into something that works for you instead of against you. If you get upset about it, you're giving that person what they want - which is to make others feel worse about themselves so that they (the name-caller) can feel better about themself. It's an "If I take you down a peg, that moves me up a peg" sort of sentiment, and it is completely self-serving.

It's kind of funny, but some of my students are baffled when I tell them that I'm a nerd and proud to be one. They can't fathom why someone would want to be (stereotypically) unpopular, uncool, etc. Even when I explain to them that that's just the mold/stereotype that I best fit and that I'm proud of who I am, they still only kind of get it. Teenagers really are amusing.

Dyslexics of the world, untie!