Date Like A Nerd

Unlock Your Player 2!

Alex

Two Nerds Afraid of Rejection Who Wouldn’t Be Engaged Without Their Friends

by

the Nerd Love Story of CJ and Ajax

🤨 Do you need friends if you want to find your Player 2? Not necessarily. But they can certainly help! From making introductions to inviting you to the right place at the right time, helping you overcome your fear of rejection, or dating one of them, friends can be the pathway to marriage. CJ and Ajax’s story is one of the best examples. It includes every single one of these! ✅

💌 In this episode, CJ shares how they met through a friend in common but couldn’t make a move, afraid that they’d get rejected 👻

Fortunately, they had friends who refused to let them miss their shot. Not once. Not twice. Three times, their friends stepped in at just the right moment to keep the story moving forward 💪

👀 Because here’s the thing nobody talks about: your social circle isn’t just where you find dates. It’s the supporting structure that makes dating possible in the first place. Without it, two people who were clearly meant to be together and lived 15 minutes away from each other might have stayed strangers forever.

🎧 Press Start and discover how finding the right friends can lead you to love! ❤️

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❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and created a guide based on their responses.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Calix and Ajax’s Links:

Related Episodes:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:00:43 What Makes Calix a Nerd
  • 00:02:09 Don’t Hide That You’re A Nerd
  • 00:05:27 How it Started
  • 00:10:51 Cosplay Conversations
  • 00:16:42 Moving Things Forward
  • 00:19:50 Convention
  • 00:25:47 Friend Intervention #2
  • 00:30:17 First Date Invite… As Friends
  • 00:37:39 Friend Intervention #3
  • 00:39:07 Failed Confession
  • 00:41:15 Friend Intervention #4
  • 00:45:36 Previous Dating Experience
  • 00:48:48 Finding His Person
  • 00:54:34 Closing

Never Know What to Say? Play “Speak Without Freezing”

by

with Catherine Richardson

💬 You’re in a group. You know you want to say something. You just can’t find the right time. The conversation moves on, the moment passes, and you spend the rest of the evening wondering why it’s so hard to just speak up 😶

🎮 In this episode, I talk to Catherine Richardson, a psychologist specializing in geek culture and mental health. She blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with gaming and pop culture to support neurodivergent professionals. And she just created something that might change how you think about social skills entirely.

🕹️ It’s called “Speak Without Freezing,” a free visual novel designed to help you practice what to say before you actually have to say it. Not by giving you a script to memorize, but by letting you rehearse in an environment where there’s no social cost. Think of it as a dating sim, except instead of trying to win someone over, you’re working on yourself 💪

⚠️ But here’s the challenge: practicing something in a game and actually doing it in real life are two very different things. So how does muscle memory work when the stakes are real? And what do you do when the social rules change depending on who you’re with, what culture you’re in, or even what room you walk into? 🗺️

🧊 If you ever freeze up during conversations, go quiet at the worst moment, or wait so long to say something that everyone has already moved on, this episode is for you.

🎧 Press Start and learn how to speak without freezing! 🥶

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❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and created a guide based on their responses.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Catherine’s Links:

Related Episodes:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:01:00 Speak Without Freezing
  • 00:03:19 How it Helps with Social Anxiety
  • 00:07:37 Social Anxiety and Perfection
  • 00:12:22 Skills to Learn
  • 00:14:55 Dating Sims
  • 00:19:37 How to Apply the Skills IRL
  • 00:22:14 Playing the Game While in Therapy
  • 00:23:57 Not Waiting for Perfection
  • 00:25:46 Adapting to Different People
  • 00:31:48 Social Anxiety and Cold Approaches
  • 00:36:55 Catherine’s Links

The Dirty Otaku Who Stopped Performing

by

the Nerd Love Story of Brian and Teiko

🐉 What happens when a weeb shows up to meet a potential client in sweatpants, messy hair, and zero game? Apparently… marriage and kids!

🎌 Brian had been “putting himself out there” for years. He thought he was doing everything right. He was in shape, playing rugby, feeling charismatic and confident. But something kept getting in the way, and it wasn’t his hobbies, his looks, or his love of anime.

It finally took a coworker’s offhand connection, and a client he had absolutely no intention of dating, to change his life around! 🔄

📚 For months, their relationship stayed strictly professional. He liked her. He knew he liked her. But he was a respectable teacher, and he wasn’t going to do anything about it ❌ Then one evening, a friend pulled him aside and pointed out something he had been completely blind to.

⚠️ The most interesting part of Brian’s story isn’t how he met his wife. It’s what he had been doing before her, why it wasn’t working, and what did!

👾 If you’ve ever felt like you should know how to date but can’t get past the tutorial, this episode is for you 🕹️

🎧 Press Play and learn from Brian’s evolution! 💪

YouTube Logo
Apple Podcasts Logo
Spotify Logo

❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and created a guide based on their responses.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Brian’s Links:

Related Episodes:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:01:09 What Makes Brian a Nerd
  • 00:01:47 An English Teacher in Japan
  • 00:04:48 First Impressions
  • 00:09:05 From Professional to Romantic
  • 00:12:43 Asking to Hold Hands
  • 00:17:28 The Build-Up
  • 00:21:09 How Long to Start Dating
  • 00:23:41 The Dirty Otaku Roots
  • 00:27:03 Being Yourself
  • 00:30:34 Becoming a Healthy Otaku
  • 00:36:18 Brian’s Contacts

Dungeons and Dragons + TTRPGs: Where to Meet Nerds

by

with Sean (aka MrShickadance)

🎲 Want to find love but hate loud bars and clubs? Tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) could be your perfect anti-social social quest. But here’s the catch: you can’t just show up, roll a charisma check, and expect to find your Player 2. You need to actually make friends with the people behind the characters! 🧙‍♂️

🎮 In this episode, Sean (aka Mr. Shickadance), a Dungeon Master and content creator, breaks down exactly where to find TTRPG groups and how to use them to unlock your social tree. Whether you’re brand new to DnD or a veteran player stuck in the same campaign for years, you’ll discover how to expand your social network beyond that small party. 🗺️

🎲 Because if you only ever meet for game nights, you’ll never get to meet the players behind the characters. After all, what you do outside of the table is what turns your party members into real friends. And from there, you never know who you could meet. That’s where the real magic happens. 📝

📜 You’ll also learn the rules of etiquette before you even show up to your first session, so that you can maximize your chances of people looking forward to seeing you again. But what if you don’t want to see some of those new party members again? 🧟 You don’t have to make friends with anyone you don’t want. We explain the strategies you can use to make sure you surround yourself with people you like and who like you 🙂‍↕️

🔓 That’s what unlocking your social tree is all about: finding out those you get along with and then meeting their friends. No cold approaches. No loud bars or clubs. And no endless swiping only to get ghosted 👻

🎧 Ready to roll for initiative on your social life? Press Start now and start building your IRL party! 🗡️

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Apple Podcasts Logo
Spotify Logo

❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and made a guide based on those results.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Sean’s Links:

Related Episodes:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:01:01 What are TTRPGs
  • 00:03:35 Joining A New Group
  • 00:07:45 Choosing Your Friends
  • 00:13:01 Taking Your Friends Out Of The Container
  • 00:15:57 TTRPGs Are Social Games
  • 00:20:19 Dating Between Players
  • 00:23:19 Be Open to Trying New Things
  • 00:27:08 Your First Character
  • 00:28:22 Where to Find A D&D Group
  • 00:35:41 Where to Find Sean

How to Leave the Friend Zone: The Master Plan

by

the Nerd Love Story of Nicole & David

💔 Is it possible to escape the Friend Zone? Or are you worried that if you stay friends too long, you’ll miss your shot? 🎯 Most dating advice screams: “Make a move within 3 dates, or you’re done!” But what if you’re shy? What if they’re not ready? What if rushing things actually ruins your best chance at love? 😰

🗺️ Nicole’s “master plan” wasn’t about pickup lines or manufactured scarcity. It was about creating genuine opportunities to spend time with someone she liked. Through D&D sessions and texts about Nicholas Cage, she built a friendship so solid that when romance finally happened, it led straight to marriage 💍

⚠️ But here’s the tricky part: How do you know if you’re “being patient” or just wasting your time? How do you create romantic possibilities without being manipulative? And if most couples start as friends… why does everyone tell you to avoid it? 🤨

⏳ If you’ve ever been stuck wondering whether to confess your feelings or wait it out, worried about “ruining the friendship,” or felt like you’re doing everything wrong because you’re not moving fast enough… this episode will completely reframe how you think about dating 🧠

🎧 Press play to learn the real strategy behind going from friends to forever! 🚀

YouTube Logo
Apple Podcasts Logo
Spotify Logo

❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and created a guide based on their responses.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Nicole’s Links::

Related Episodes:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:00:55 What Makes Them Nerds
  • 00:01:36 The First Approach
  • 00:05:14 “She Has a Boyfriend”
  • 00:08:53 Not Reading The Signs
  • 00:12:11 Clarifying Misunderstandings
  • 00:13:19 Maintaining the Long-Distance Connection
  • 00:14:45 Friendship and Attraction
  • 00:18:18 Planning the First Date
  • 00:21:09 The First Date
  • 00:27:59 The Second Date
  • 00:32:00 Keeping Online Connections Alive
  • 00:36:47 Couples from Conventions
  • 00:38:38 How to Meet Cosplayers

Why You’re Still Single Even If You’re Going to Meetups

by

with Single Player George

🎯 Going to meetups every week, showing up to events over and over again, hitting nerd conventions annually, and still single? You’re not alone. George is a 47-year-old Marvel and Star Wars fan who attends events regularly, has female friends, and can dance without drinking. So why hasn’t he found his Player 2? 🤔

🔒 The problem isn’t the meetups. It’s staying stuck in the container. George would meet women he liked, exchange Instagrams, but never unlock his social tree. He’d only connect 1-on-1 with women he was attracted to, then disappear if they wanted to be “just friends.” Why? He believed women decide whether you’re dateable within 30 seconds, so friendship = game over 👾

📊 According to my surveys, 70% of nerd couples who didn’t meet on dating apps started as friends (usually for 6 months to a year!). Even 20% of the couples who met on dating apps started as friends first! That “women decide in 30 seconds” rule? Debunked. The friend zone fear? Actually blocking him from the exact path most nerds take to find their Player 2 🎲

🧩 So what’s the missing piece? How do you turn meetup connections into actual dating opportunities? 🍷

🎧 Press Start to find out how to unlock 2-player mode! 🎮 🎮

YouTube Logo
Apple Podcasts Logo
Spotify Logo

❤️ FREE GUIDE: 🎮
Where do nerds REALLY meet their Player 2?

I asked hundreds of nerds and made a guide based on those results.
Are you going to keep grinding without finding out the truth?

FREE DOWNLOAD

Related Content:

Timestamps for lazy nerds:

  • 00:00:00 Intro
  • 00:00:38 What Makes George A Nerd
  • 00:01:10 Going to Meetups
  • 00:04:16 Starting Out As Friends
  • 00:07:42 The Friends Next Door
  • 00:10:39 How Many Relationships Start As Friendships
  • 00:12:55 The Benefits of Friendships
  • 00:17:33 Meeting People At Meetups
  • 00:20:33 Scheduling Problems
  • 00:23:41 Choosing The Right Friends
  • 00:29:14 Being Vulnerable
  • 00:37:17 The Awkward Friend
  • 00:46:18 Final Thoughts