TheChicagoNerd.com

Want to find out how nerds in Chicago find love?

Our interview with Nerds at Heart is in our Places to Go section so you can learn the awkward ways of geeky dating.

Rina Cali experienced it first hand by participating in the game-board competition glory. Here's what she had to say:

"If you’re like me, casual conversation with the opposite sex is feasible (maybe… on a good day), but having the guts to make a move on someone you’re attracted to?  HIGHLY improbable.  I just can’t do it! I freeze up, stutter, and/or do something embarrassing – robbing me of what little courage I may have had.  (Sometimes, I wish they offered a how-to class on the subject as part of my university’s curricula.)

Luckily, with the help of the lovely ladies behind “Nerds at Heart,” the process isn’t as daunting as it would normally be.  Julia Borcherts and Bathsheba Birman, who started the “Nerds at Heart” dating service back in 2006, implemented a simple yet inspired concept:  Get singles into a room together + Have them play board games = People get to know each other in an unthreatening and fun way.  Genius!  Throw in prize giveaways and a free cocktail or two and you have the makings of a good time.

So far, “Nerds at Heart” events – which include dating for straight, gay, and lesbian nerds – are offered throughout the year on a semi-regular basis at different venues around Chicago (though recently, they have started holding Twin Cities events as well).  As part of TheChicagoNerd team, I was lucky enough to attend one of them this past August at the Holiday Club – a quirky retro bar/lounge in Wrigleyville. 

When I arrived at the venue that night, I filled out a name tag and received a pocket protector as a free gift at the door.  (Sweet!  I’ve never actually had a pocket protector before.)   I ordered my cocktail (an Amaretto Sour), and checked out the prize table while waiting for other people to arrive.  Some of the fun prizes included: tickets to theater shows, Japanese manga, a tattoo poetry kit (think of magnetic poetry but for your body and not a fridge), an umbrella hat, a measuring tape and pen combo, chemistry lab equipment stencils, etc. (P.S. I was a little miffed that I didn’t get to win any of the prizes, but oh well…)

As people started filing in, I also started feeling my social anxiety kicking in.  You know that feeling you get at a school dance when everyone is standing around and not talking much while the music is playing?  (Yeah.  Awkward.)  But after a few more sips of my drink, I went up to another wallflower, started a conversation, and began feeling more at ease.   (I wouldn’t recommend getting shwasted at this function, but to each his own.)

Soon, Julia and Bathsheba officially started the evening's program and broke the ice with a quick trivia round that determined who was the nerdiest of us all.  (Lol.)  We then broke off into tables predetermined by the number on our name tags.  At each table, there were a variety of games to choose from, but we stealthily stole "Apples to Apples" from another table. (Epic win!)  It's a great game.  Any number of people can partake. Plus, the noise level doesn’t detract from game play, unlike say “Catch Phrase” would have.

After a quick break and a trivia round, we were mixed up into different tables for another round of games and prizes for the winners.  I liked this system since I was given the opportunity to play with a mostly new group of people.   (Strangely, by a random fluke, three people from my previous game ended up at the same table with me yet again. What are the odds?) 

Once the festivities officially ended, the location reverted back to the normal bar setting. This was the best time to talk to the individuals I didn't get a chance to before and/or exchange contact information with.  (FYI: Unlike speed dating, you still have to take the effort to ask for another person’s number.)

Overall, I had a great time! If you feel uncomfortable going at it alone, going with a friend or two makes the night flow easier. Just don’t use them as a crutch. You’re there to meet and mingle with new people after all.  You don’t want to have a missed connections moment. That happens too much in everyday life (at least for me), so if you feel a spark with someone, go for it! "

Thanks, Rina! TheChicagoNerd team is in awe of your great bravery!

Now, my nerdlings, get out of here and watch the video!