Nerds, geeks, countrymen: we live in a very fortunate time. For years, we were looked down on, bullied, and made fun of. Not anymore. Now we are part of mainstream pop culture.

Television shows like Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones are extremely popular. Chris Hardwick, Zachary Levi, and Nathan Fillion are beloved by fans everywhere because they’re nerds. Also? Nerds now look like Chris Hardwick, Zachary Levi, and Nathan Fillion. (And for the guys, Mila Kunis used to be a big World of Warcraft gamer until too many people started figuring out her screen name.)

One of the best parts of nerd culture is the ability to be fangirls and fanboys. Not to be mistaken with a mere fan, these fanboys and fangirls — I’ll call them fan*s — go above and beyond in their excitement over the things they love. I’m an unabashed fangirl myself, and I’d like to welcome all my fellow fan*s to this space, where we are Fanning Out all we want.

But just what is a fan*? The world’s authority on all things slang defines a “fanboy” as “a passionate fan of various elements of geek culture (e.g. sci-fi, comics, Star Wars, video games, anime, hobbits, Magic: the Gathering, etc.), but who lets his passion override social graces.” Not the most flattering portrayal, but probably not wrong either.

The definition for “fangirl” is similar, but with a more judgmental tone: “Fangirls congregate at anime conventions and livejournal. Have been known to glomp, grope, and tackle when encountering said obesessions.” [sic]

Considering the author of this entry can’t even spell “obsessions” correctly, I’m going to try not to be too offended by his or her suggestion that, for some reason, being a fangirl is obsessive while being a fanboy is just passion. Boys are just as capable of being obsessive as girls. But I digress.

The truth is, we all have a little fan* in us. You can deny it all you want, but we are all passionate about something, whether it’s television, movies, music, art, books — there’s always something. Not sure whether you’re just a normal fan or a full-fledged fan*? See if you can sympathize with any of the statements below.

You might be a fan* if …

1. You’re still disappointed you didn’t receive an owl with your acceptance to Hogwarts when you turned 11 (even if you turned 11 years before Harry Potter existed). It’s similar to the disappointment you felt when you realized that old wardrobe at your grandparents’ didn’t lead to another world, or that police box isn’t really bigger on the inside (but you keep checking both just in case).
2. You have a definite opinion on who is the best captain: Kirk, Picard, Reynolds, Harkness, or Sparrow. And are prepared to debate your opinion at any given time. The same goes for which ship is better: the Enterprise, Serenity, Moya, the Millennium Falcon … Let’s not even get into the argument about which Enterprise is better.
3. The mere thought of not getting your tickets to Comic-Con makes you hyperventilate. No joke: that episode of The Big Bang Theory a couple weeks ago? I know several people who have admitted that is their worst nightmare; one friend even said she turned the show off and couldn’t watch until after the real Comic-Con badges went on sale and she knew she was going.
4. You’ve ever designed your own shirt/sign/poster for an event, hoping your favorite celebrity in attendance will notice you. This may sound like a shameless call for attention to some, but take it from me: it works. Also, if you meet this celebrity more than once with similarly designed shirts, they just might remember you.
5. You’ve waited more than an hour for an autograph/photo/handshake/hug/brief sighting. I’ve done this numerous times and don’t regret it at all. Except maybe that one time when we could have been watching Vanilla Ice and instead stood outside praying for a glimpse of Donnie Wahlberg (and all we got was Nick Lachey).
6. You have dreamed about the exact conversation you would have upon meeting your favorite celebrity … but, when that day arrives, all you can manage is a breathless, “Hi.”
7. You’re completely comfortable with your sexuality and aren’t afraid to admit you have crushes on celebs of both sexes. I mean, who doesn’t love Jennifer Lawrence? And Daryl Dixon, Agent Melinda May, or the Winchesters?
8. You’ve been honing your paintball and/or chair-walking skills just in case you need them when least expected — like in the middle of study hall.
9. You know that a “ship” is so much more than a vessel that floats on water. And they have names like Caskett and Klaine. And you spend half your time wondering if these ships will ever sail. And desperately hope they will.
10. Tumblr.
11. The word “Reichenbach” reduces you to the fetal position with your thumb in your mouth.
12. You own or have read/seen/listened to everything your favorite celebrity has ever done. This includes sitting in front of your computer for several hours, watching episode after episode of the British sitcom Suburban Shootout on YouTube because Tom Hiddleston. And who else has downloaded the soundtrack for August: Osage County solely for Benedict Cumberbatch? (You’re really dedicated if you watched Breaking Dawn — Part 2 just for Lee Pace.)
13. “Carry On Wayward Son” will always hold a special place in your heart.
14. You’ve ever attended the midnight screening/release of a movie, book, DVD, video game, or anything else. Bonus points if you’ve actually dressed up in costume for one of these events. Sports fans, don’t think you’re exempt here. Showing up early to a game to tailgate, with faces and chests painted, wearing every item of clothing in your team’s colors you can possibly find — that’s the equivalent of going to the midnight premiere of The Hobbit dressed as a hobbit.
15. You understand the meaning of terms like “squee,” “feels,” “OTP,” and the aforementioned “ship.”

If you’ve reached the end of this list and you’ve been nodding along with any or all of these points, then you’re probably a fan* whether you like it or not. And this list just scratches the surface.

If you’ve discovered that perhaps you are one of us, keep in mind there’s nothing to be ashamed of. As one of the characters from the show Leverage used to say, it’s “the age of the geek.” So embrace your inner nerd and enjoy the ride. Trust me, it’s a lot more fun once you give into it.

And don’t forget to come back here weekly as I’ll be discussing TV, books, movies — all the things that are worth Fanning Out for. Until next time, “May the odds be ever in your favor.”