For as long as I can remember, television and movies have taught me that every girl should dream about snagging the athlete or the rebel or at the very least the charismatic class clown. This has always been a bit confusing to me because as far as I’ve been able to tell, no guy can quite measure up to the loveable dork. Lucky for me, I’ve managed to land the biggest geek of them all in my current boyfriend. I mean, he can answer any and all Star Wars related trivia, he dreams about the next time our friends will get together to play our Game of Thrones board game, and he’s keeping a mental countdown of when the next Marvel movie will be released. Because I feel so fortunate to have found him, I wanted to send out a sort of PSA to all the single ladies out there who might not be aware of the perks that come with loving the geeky guy:

They will respect you.

In my experience, nerdy guys are often times some of the most respectful. It’s important to find someone who values your thoughts and opinions and who recognizes that your aspirations are just as important as his.

They will appreciate you.

A guy who gets excited about the little things is the best! I personally am so over the guy who always acts aloof and like he’s too cool to be interested in anything. It’s nice to find someone who genuinely looks forward to spending time with you and isn’t afraid to let you know it (even if he lets you know by using phrases like “awesome tuneage”).

You can learn from them.

It’s fun to date someone who you can learn from. If you’re dating a geeky guy, the chances are pretty high that he’s really passionate and informed about his interests, and he’d love nothing more than to share them with you. While you don’t have to love Star Wars, for example, as much as he does, it’s still fun to watch the movies together and watch his eyes light up when he talks to you about his favorite parts.

They will make you laugh.

Believe it or not, nerds can be pretty funny. Yes, you may have to learn to appreciate (or at least tolerate) some terrible puns, but more often than not you won’t be able to help but laugh at their efforts.

They are fun to shop for.

Honestly, there’s nothing more satisfying than giving the perfect gift to your dorky boyfriend. If you listen to him and find out what his biggest interests are, find a great present is more fun than stressful. When you’re dating a guy who doesn’t seem to be passionate about much of anything, it becomes painful trying to think up a decent gift. However, as is the case with Ben Wyatt receiving an Iron Throne from Leslie Knope, or my boyfriend pretty much any time I buy him a new board game, the geeky guy will let you know that you’ve nailed it in the gift department. They may be too excited to express their gratitude with words, but seeing the look on their face is one of the best feelings in the world.

They are sweet.

What can I say? Geeky guys are the sweetest. If you appreciate him and support him, he will likely make you feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Because they are often so passionate about their interests, nerdy guys know no limit when it comes to feeling passionate about you. If you want a guy to treat you like you are a superhero goddess, then a nerdy guy is the one for you.

Of course, not every guy that’s sweet and smart has to fall under the “dork” category. There are plenty of jock-types out there who are fully capable of making you feel special. The point I hope I’ve made is that you should never write off the nerdy guy, because he just might surprise you with how much he has to offer.