Nerds
All kinds of people want to be involved in collegiate a cappella groups. But when it comes to running a student organization, the leadership needs to think about how new personalities will affect the group dynamics. In this column, we take a candid look at the stereotypes associated with various sorts of people, and explain what these people may contribute to a group.
Please note that many of the characterizations presented in this column are intended to defuse mean-spirited stereotypes through humor. We do not intend to offend anyone.
In this edition we consider nerds.
You may worry that a having a nerdy member is going to bring down the overall cool factor of your group. For one thing, get off your high horse—a cappella has an inherent nerd-factor, and it doesn’t make sense to discriminate against someone who’s a little over the top. From a more utilitarian perspective, you can also think about the fact that everything’s relative, and if you do have someone particularly nerdy on board, that person might actually make the rest of the group look even cooler by comparison.
Nerds can be very practical, which brings up the concern that they might suck some of the fun out of your group. Bear in mind, though, that practical people can do a lot to help a group thrive by keeping a level head and helping to take care of logistical work others might not have the patience for.
Workaholics may seem problematic for group culture, but at the end of the day, you get what you put into an a cappella group, and if you have some members who are willing to put in extra hours arranging, choreographing and rehearsing, it will probably be to the long-term benefit of your group.