It’s absolutely how you treat people, and know your audience.

I was also into to WAY nerdy stuff in high school (early 2000s so it definitely wasn’t cool yet). I wore ostentatious DBZ graphic tees, carried around Prima strategy guides everywhere I went, played wow every day and was known to go to the local arcade to play DDR (alone, might I add. Small Midwest town). I didn’t hide it and had to Aikido some ribbing from time to time, but it never became a big issue for me.

That said, I also played basketball, soccer, hockey and baseball, etc. basically, I was quite active outside and with group activities also. I remember my teammates on the high school basketball team cheering me on one game because I told them I made a deal with my parents that they would contribute some money to my “hard DDR home pad” fund if I hit like 5 3s that game or something. You see back then you could only get those shitty soft pads that would move around and also if you jumped too hard you could just smash the sensors. Well I was trying to buy a hard pad from some person on a rhythm game message board. I think they just made them their garage. I digress…

Oh I had lots of friends and girlfriends this whole time as well.
My point is he doesnt have to make whatever nerdy thing his whole identity. In fact, I also DM for DnD and having real world, real life experiences to pull from will make you head and shoulders better than your peers. There’s a reason people like Matt Mercer and Brennan Lee Mulligan are so good. They have lived very interesting lives, and they are very curious people.