Nerd Pack
From The Extended Group
The Nerd Pack was an XG "splinter-group" active during the Spring of sophomore year of high school. Consisting of members Jeremy, Terry, Rama and Kevin, the foursome was initially established as a reaction to the familiar high school construct of "nerdliness", providing a safe (albeit exclusive) haven for so-called "nerdlies" to celebrate their social position. The Nerd Pack is a notable example of sub-grouping within the larger collective, with other famous examples including the CORE and the various Frisbee group/s.
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Origins
Undoubtedly the advent of Nerd Pack activity is traceable to Mr. Moreno's Cartooning Class, which Jeremy, Terry and Kevin were forced to take for fine art credit. Jeremy and Terry had already maintained a close friendship for some time, and naturally banded together in the corner of the room. Kevin, only a peripheral character in the early XG dynamic, was nonetheless welcomed in by the two. The trio quickly bonded in this bizarre environment through the creation of ridiculous drawings, encounters with characters like Amir and Evan Heald, and conversations that stressed a shared social and academic frustration with the times. The pack's chemistry soon transferred off campus, where mutual friend Rama became a regular in various outings around Shoreline and Seattle.
Activities
While many of the Nerd Pack's activities would be viewed by the contemporary eye as mundane, consideration must be given to the context of the period. Sophomore year is, in retrospect, understood universally by former Nerd Pack members (and perhaps most XG members at large) as the "worst" year of high school: emotionally, socially, and academically. Reeling from the disillusionment of failed bands, History Day, heavy courseloads and girl problems, the idea of having fun for the sake of it was a revolutionary notion, as shown by the following events, some of which would go on to serve as templates for broader group hangouts:
- Eating at Hosoonyi, perhaps the first large-scale hangouts dedicated to such.
- Eating at the now defunct "Asian Place"
- Going to thrift stores
- Going to second-hand bookstores and discovering such classics as "The Bastard" and "The Mummy Congress"
- Listening to Weezer's Pinkerton
- Creation of the Nerd Pack website[1] (discussed in more depth below)
- Celebrating Jeremy's recently authorized driving privileges
- Frequenting local elementary school playgrounds, some of which is captured in Rama's Films
- the Talking Room
The Nerd Pack website, Analysis
Today the original Nerd Pack website remains as a sort of time capsule offering a glimpse into the past of the wider experience of XG members during the high school years. Here, each Nerd Pack member is assigned an alias; Terry is known as JoeyJoJoShabadoo, Jeremy as Harmless, Kevin as the Ice Cream Man, and Rama as Smooth Jimmy Apollo. Multiple understandings of the group's history can be obtained through the information presented. One possible reading indicates marked change amongst group members and culture: Terry describes himself as a "big punk music fan", Kevin aspired to becoming "the world's biggest Physics nerd", and "Kids in the Hall" is clearly not held in the position of esteem that it sits in today. Contrarily, there is evidence pointing to habits that persist to this day. Rama's lack of "shoe wearing skills" can be noticed on any number of occasions, Terry's cartooning efforts continue today, and Jeremy's sleeping habits remain notoriously abnormal in the collective psyche.
Vocabulary and Catchphrases
- "Apes start with shapes"
- "Stereotypes!"
- "Ikoka"
- Billy Modee
