#tbt: Nerd Club Started at the College

Back in 1989, Jeremy A. Kahn '90-'91 started a new club for nerds. It was called the Society of Nerds and Geeks (SONG), and it was aca-awesome.

According to a Crimson article, the club’s founder said "we must encourage the outside world to take more notice of nerds and geeks and to recognize our value." Today, said founder attends Comic Con every year and sheds a single tear over how far society has progressed. (Don’t be on the wrong side of history: buy your ticket to Comic Con today!)

Nineteen students attended the club’s introductory meeting, four of whom had never been to a gathering that large before. The enthusiasm at the meeting was palpable. "I came because I didn't have a problem set to do tonight, and I couldn't think of anything better to do," said Cabot House resident Allon G. Percus '92. This was in the days before laptop computers and internet porn.

Among its various goals, the club planned to have studyathon parties in which “BYOB” would stand for “Bring Your Own Books.” Don’t worry—the signs saying that you had to be 21+ to read were just for show.

The club’s legacy is unclear, but there’s reason to believe it exists today and is known as Sigma Chi.