Some of us were lucky to have nerdy parents, some of us had to have roommates turn us into nerds. I’m in the second group. I wouldn’t say that I was a whole adult until I had experienced the world of JRR Tolkien for myself. It was only after my freshman year of college that I became the fan that I am today. So here’s my story: how I became the Tolkien nerd I am today.
The Greatest Adventure
It started in 2016. My freshman year of college was not a bright spot in my college career. Characterized by depression, homesickness, and literal sickness, by the time I made it to my first finals week, I was ready to go home. But my dear roommate pulled me aside one day, sat me on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and said, “We’re going to watch Lord of the Rings.”
Weakly, I protested, but agreed when she said I could study while we watched if I wanted. So I pulled out my flashcards and settled in for one of the most lifechanging events of my life. We didn’t marathon all the movies that day, but over the week we had gotten through them all, and I had thoroughly enjoyed Peter Jackson’s adaptations.
Crossing the Misty Mountains
When I went home for Christmas, I took the 1988 boxed set of Lord of the Rings from my parents’ house and read them over the course of the next semester. And that, dear friends, was when I realized what I had been missing out on.
I fell in love with the poems and characters written by Tolkien. I compared the words to the scenes from movies and criticized Peter Jackson for leaving out Tom Bombadil. I smiled at the hobbits, I celebrated with the elves, and I cried with Samwise Gamgee as Frodo struggled. Tolkien’s characters helped me feel emotions that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing.
A few months later, I read The Hobbit for the first time as an adult. I again, was in awe of Tolkien’s talent and ability to create a magical tale.
I purchased a variety of Tolkien’s books from used bookstores, I watched the movies again, I listened to the audiobooks in the car. For months, I was obsessed with the world of Tolkien.
And then life got busy.
I transferred to a different college. I moved back home. I worked full-time and took classes full-time. I didn’t have as much time for Tolkien, and I lost some of that joy that I had managed to regain.
A Long Awaited Party
It wasn’t until I moved in with my brother-in-law and sister that my love for Tolkien resurfaced. We decided to have an annual “Hobbit Party”, where we would marathon Peter Jackson’s movies and eat seven meals (like hobbits).
That first year, memories of those late nights during finals week with my roommate came back. I remembered where I started on this journey, and that I wasn’t even finished yet, because I hadn’t read the Silmarillion!
I’ve helped host three hobbit parties. I’ve read *most* of The Silmarillion. I’ve listened to the audiobooks multiple times. I’ve dabbled in learning some Elvish. I can confidently say that I’m a nerd. Have I read every work Tolkien ever wrote? Not even close. But you don’t have to have read every one of his words to know that JRR Tolkien’s works can change lives.
The Road Goes Ever On and On
I’ve come a long way in my Tolkien journey since 2016. I own countless works by Tolkien. I've even read some of them! I’ve created artwork, I’ve read so much about deeper lore that I think I know more about the history of Middle Earth than I do about the history of my Earth. And although my Tolkien journey may have started nearly four years ago, it (hopefully) won't be over for quite a while longer.