--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up, I was as socially…" description: "\"When I was growing up, I was as socially outcast as any nerd could possibly be. I was in the chess club, I brought D&D stuff to school, I had every gam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/chris-hardwick-2460_arcades_when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-as-socially_1016002.png" --- # When I was growing up, I was as socially outcast as any… ![“When I was growing up, I was as socially outcast as any nerd could possibly be. I was in the chess club, I brought D&D stuff to school, I had every game system you could imagine, I spent countless hours at arcades, computer camp, loud presence in the Latin Club. All that stuff.” quote by Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/chris-hardwick-2460_arcades_when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-as-socially_1016002.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/chris-hardwick-2460_arcades_when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-as-socially_1016002.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/chris-hardwick-2460_arcades_when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-as-socially_1016002.png) > “When I was growing up, I was as socially outcast as any nerd could possibly be. I was in the chess club, I brought D&D stuff to school, I had every game system you could imagine, I spent countless hours at arcades, computer camp, loud presence in the Latin Club. All that stuff.” [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling socially isolated as a kid, the speaker found belonging through niche hobbies and clubs. **In simple terms:** Being an outsider can lead to deep passions and community. Key Takeaway Embrace unique interests to build connections. Themes identity belonging hobbies social anxiety Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - school clubs - online forums - gaming meetups - convention gatherings Key Concepts subculture self‑acceptance community building Questions to Reflect On - How did your hobbies shape your self‑esteem? - What steps can introverts take to find supportive communities? A Different Perspective Niche groups can also reinforce isolation if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arcades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcades/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Nerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerd/) [Outcast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outcast/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Getting socially outcast can be the best and most informative thing that can ever happen to you because you have to learn who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-miller/getting-socially-outcast-can-be-the-best-and-most-informative-thing/) [Ezra Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-miller/) > [Growing up, I was a socially awkward kid who didn't know where he fit in, and I didn't have many friends, but I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-gargano/growing-up-i-was-a-socially-awkward-kid-who-didn-t-know-where-he-fit/) [Johnny Gargano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-gargano/) > [I think being an outcast is what sort of strengthens the nerd movement, because you're isolated, so you have time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/i-think-being-an-outcast-is-what-sort-of-strengthens-the-nerd/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I felt like a kid standing in the world's greatest video arcade without any quarters, unable to do anything but walk around and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-felt-like-a-kid-standing-in-the-world-s-greatest-video-arcade/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I think my iTunes is a kind of strange and embarrassing mix of show tunes and artists that I have no perception of whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-think-my-itunes-is-a-kind-of-strange-and-embarrassing-mix-of-show/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [To me the arcade experience is the ultimate gaming experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarvis/to-me-the-arcade-experience-is-the-ultimate-gaming-experience/) [Eugene Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarvis/) > [A writer from ESPN magazine once described me as the world's largest eleven-year-old. That's true. I ride my Sea-Doo jet ski, play putt-putt golf,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/a-writer-from-espn-magazine-once-described-me-as-the-world-s-largest/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I actually have the Arcade PC at home, and it has 5,500 games on it. Everything from the old school, Galaga, Tron, Missile Command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-corrales/i-actually-have-the-arcade-pc-at-home-and-it-has-5-500-games-on-it/) [Diego Corrales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-corrales/) > [I had played 'Mortal Kombat' back I arcades in London, and I loved it. I came to the movies as a genuine fan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-had-played-mortal-kombat-back-i-arcades-in-london-and-i-loved-it-i/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [Moreover, a book is not made of sentences laid end to end, but of sentences built, if an image helps, into arcades or domes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/moreover-a-book-is-not-made-of-sentences-laid-end-to-end-but-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It's a token for the arcade games at Laser Sport Time!" Dan hissed. "Uncle Alistair doesn't think so," Amy murmured. "He's a numismatist." "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lerangis/it-s-a-token-for-the-arcade-games-at-laser-sport-time-dan-hissed/) [Peter Lerangis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lerangis/) > [I still have my old Nintendo 64 that works. And I hook it up, and I still play the original 'Goldeneye.' I'm that geek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taran-killam/i-still-have-my-old-nintendo-64-that-works-and-i-hook-it-up-and-i/) [Taran Killam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taran-killam/) > [There was the pedestrian who wedged himself into the crowd, but there was also the flneur who demanded elbow room and was unwilling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/there-was-the-pedestrian-who-wedged-himself-into-the-crowd-but-there/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I like bands for a long time, even when they're not trendy anymore. I still like Arcade Fire. I've always liked Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia-furler/i-like-bands-for-a-long-time-even-when-they-re-not-trendy-anymore-i/) [Sia Furler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia-furler/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) ## More by Chris Hardwick > [Any nerd who grew up around the time that I did, BBC programming was a treasure chest for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/any-nerd-who-grew-up-around-the-time-that-i-did-bbc-programming-was-a/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Our mandate at Nerdist is that we only get involved with nice people around things that we love. We have the luxury of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/our-mandate-at-nerdist-is-that-we-only-get-involved-with-nice-people/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [There's a lot of laughing on a horror movie set. They're magical in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/there-s-a-lot-of-laughing-on-a-horror-movie-set-they-re-magical-in/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I think people have this stereotypical idea in their head of what a nerd is. People have said to me before, "You're not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/i-think-people-have-this-stereotypical-idea-in-their-head-of-what-a/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [The difference being that a nerd would wear a D&D shirt because he loves D&D while a hipster would wear a D&D shirt because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/the-difference-being-that-a-nerd-would-wear-a-d-d-shirt-because-he/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I would say that nerds, as a rule, are much more sexually active than the average person. There's a lot of anxiety and stress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/i-would-say-that-nerds-as-a-rule-are-much-more-sexually-active-than/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [We will continue to address things, but in as much as I want to talk about politics as they are related to social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/we-will-continue-to-address-things-but-in-as-much-as-i-want-to-talk/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Steve Martin said that philosophy is good for comedy because it screws up your thinking just enough, and I agree with that. Being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/steve-martin-said-that-philosophy-is-good-for-comedy-because-it/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [There are certain parts of a classic nerd's brain that can destroy that person - obsessing about things to the detriment of everything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/there-are-certain-parts-of-a-classic-nerd-s-brain-that-can-destroy/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [If I wasn't acting or doing stand-up, I would be in animation. Or if I had the discipline I might studies physics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/if-i-wasn-t-acting-or-doing-stand-up-i-would-be-in-animation-or-if-i/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Every time I finish a record, it's sort of feels like, "I can't believe that I'm hanging out and having a conversation, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/every-time-i-finish-a-record-it-s-sort-of-feels-like-i-can-t-believe/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [A lot of people complain in the year 2003 that it's not the world of tomorrow as foreseen in the 1950s. 'Where are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/a-lot-of-people-complain-in-the-year-2003-that-it-s-not-the-world-of/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Obviously, we went after Trump quite a bit, but I also feel like, we can't be on anyone's side, really. We need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/obviously-we-went-after-trump-quite-a-bit-but-i-also-feel-like-we-can/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [If you're looking to freelance, just get as many gigs going as you can, and you can make it work... It's about getting as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/if-you-re-looking-to-freelance-just-get-as-many-gigs-going-as-you-can/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [Don't tell television, but there is some superior programming being made on the Interwebz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/don-t-tell-television-but-there-is-some-superior-programming-being/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) [Explore all 165 Chris Hardwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) ## More Arcades quotes > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [I like bands for a long time, even when they're not trendy anymore. I still like Arcade Fire. I've always liked Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia-furler/i-like-bands-for-a-long-time-even-when-they-re-not-trendy-anymore-i/) [Sia Furler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia-furler/) > [There was the pedestrian who wedged himself into the crowd, but there was also the flneur who demanded elbow room and was unwilling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/there-was-the-pedestrian-who-wedged-himself-into-the-crowd-but-there/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I still have my old Nintendo 64 that works. And I hook it up, and I still play the original 'Goldeneye.' I'm that geek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taran-killam/i-still-have-my-old-nintendo-64-that-works-and-i-hook-it-up-and-i/) [Taran Killam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taran-killam/) > [It's a token for the arcade games at Laser Sport Time!" Dan hissed. "Uncle Alistair doesn't think so," Amy murmured. "He's a numismatist." "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lerangis/it-s-a-token-for-the-arcade-games-at-laser-sport-time-dan-hissed/) [Peter Lerangis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lerangis/) > [Moreover, a book is not made of sentences laid end to end, but of sentences built, if an image helps, into arcades or domes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/moreover-a-book-is-not-made-of-sentences-laid-end-to-end-but-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I had played 'Mortal Kombat' back I arcades in London, and I loved it. I came to the movies as a genuine fan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-had-played-mortal-kombat-back-i-arcades-in-london-and-i-loved-it-i/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [I actually have the Arcade PC at home, and it has 5,500 games on it. Everything from the old school, Galaga, Tron, Missile Command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-corrales/i-actually-have-the-arcade-pc-at-home-and-it-has-5-500-games-on-it/) [Diego Corrales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-corrales/) > [A writer from ESPN magazine once described me as the world's largest eleven-year-old. That's true. I ride my Sea-Doo jet ski, play putt-putt golf,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/a-writer-from-espn-magazine-once-described-me-as-the-world-s-largest/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [To me the arcade experience is the ultimate gaming experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarvis/to-me-the-arcade-experience-is-the-ultimate-gaming-experience/) [Eugene Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarvis/) > [I think my iTunes is a kind of strange and embarrassing mix of show tunes and artists that I have no perception of whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-think-my-itunes-is-a-kind-of-strange-and-embarrassing-mix-of-show/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [I felt like a kid standing in the world's greatest video arcade without any quarters, unable to do anything but walk around and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-felt-like-a-kid-standing-in-the-world-s-greatest-video-arcade/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I hate amusement arcades. When I was a little wheelie on holiday with my family in Wales, this was one of our safe havens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/i-hate-amusement-arcades-when-i-was-a-little-wheelie-on-holiday-with/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [I've been a fan of video games since the old school, I even have a lot of the old school arcade games at my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/i-ve-been-a-fan-of-video-games-since-the-old-school-i-even-have-a-lot/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [One cannot walk down an avenue, converse with a friend, enter a building, browse beneath the sandstone arches of an old arcade without meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/one-cannot-walk-down-an-avenue-converse-with-a-friend-enter-a/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) [Browse all 34 Arcades quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcades/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was growing up, I was as socially outcast as any nerd could possibly be. 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