I was in the accelerated classes in elementary school, which basically spelled NERD to everyone in the regular classes... I compensated for that by being a good athlete and having the ability to kick the ass of anyone who actually CALLED me a nerd (which meant a lot of fighting when I went to the state geography bee... 4 times
)... I discovered that it's better to be feared than to be taunted!
In middle school I was in the popular crowd... I maintained social status by manipulating people, running the black market homework trade and being a good athlete... I was also an officer in the science club and was in band, but had gotten classy enough to get someone else to beat up anyone who made a big deal of it by then. Fear is a very useful tool in middle school
In high school I decided that the popular crowd was really boring, and like marm, I wandered off and hung out with the soccer players, exchange students and smart kids... they were a lot more fun!
nobody made a big deal about it or anything because it was assumed that I'd probably end up rich some day AND I could still kick thier asses!
I have the reputation for being "quite quirky" at work, but it's balanced with a reputation for being the most fun person that anyone can work with... if you're going to be smart or odd, you've pretty much GOT to have some qualities considered cool in order to survive socially, it seems