nick nelson is autistic. buckle up folks, this is a long one.

hey hello, first blog post!!! this one is gonna be a ride...

sooo, i deeply relate to nick nelson and have seen myself in him ever since i first got into heartstopper right after the show's first season came out... around that time i started getting into the fandom! not long after i did, i found out that there are a whole bunch of people who see nick as autistic, and they were also describing things that i recognised in myself.

this is also part of how i figured out that i might be autistic! i recently got referred for my diagnosis, and the whole thing just made me understand so many things about myself and now i can actually explain why i act the way i do to people way better!

part 1: nick's special interests!

he EXCELS in rugby. it is the one thing he keeps doing, even though he didn't get along w his teammates, especially at the start of the comic/show. its the thing hes so very passionate about! even at the end of volume 5, he only really likes charlie and his friends. what especially was interesting to me is how he explained rugby to charlie at the start of the comic.

that is an infodump if i've ever seen one! he also really likes marvel and f1 according to charlie, but what sticks out to me most is pirates of the caribbean. when he was 11 he watched it w sarah for months on end every day because he loved it so much!! (as referenced in s1 ep6). this is definitely a special interest for him. we autistic people tend to consume our special interests repeatedly, especially when they are in media form. this also shows nick's need for routine, which is a well known autistic trait. 

part 2: sensory stuff yup!

nick usually gives charlie deep pressure hugs, but it especially shows when he's emotional or stressed about something. this very much looks like sensory seeking behaviour to me!! continuing w this, nellie is always laying on him when he is feeling stressed or emotional.

in the tv show he is almost never wearing his blazer. now, u could say that this could be because he gets hot quickly, but it's january in the first episode. everyone around him is wearing a coat or blazer, but he isnt. it seems to me like he has sensory issues w the blazer.

another thing is his wardrobe! 99% of the time, we see him wearing hoodies and jumpers along with a pair of joggers. i dont believe this is because of the whole 'hes a jock guys!!!' idea. this is definitely a sensory thing. at the end of volume 2 in the bonus content, alice writes that nick does not like skinny jeans, and even when he is asked to dress smart he will only wear looser jeans or chinos. #relatable!!

part 3: nellie baby because theres lots to say!!

nellie is specifically referred to as nick's dog, instead of the family dog. she is always shown in contact w nick, doesnt matter how. what comes to mind is how in season 1 episode 7, when sarah picks nick up from the cinema after the fight, nellie is under him in the front seat. he is also petting her as he talks to sarah. it is common for autistic people to find comfort in animals, because we dont feel pressure from society when we interact with them. it is also common for autistic people to have service/support animals. nellie is definitely a support animal for him.

part 4: being sensitive to noise and crowded places

at harry's party, nick and charlie choose to hang out in a quieter space, instead of the room where everyone else is. soon after this, they go to an empty room because nick finds it to be very loud. we autistic people tend to be really sensitive to noise and get very uncomfortable when we are in a crowded area. this can also lead to overstimulation if we cant leave that area. nick seems to be a lot more comfortable in the quiet room than he is in the loud ones. what also interests me is how his room seems to always have low lighting and only fairy lights.

part 5: social struggles/masking, oh boy this one is long, get ready for me to yap...

both of these moments are examples of autistic masking. i specifically want to go more in depth about the monologue. nick talks about how he feels like he cant be himself and he only does the things he does because he sees other people doing them. to me this seems like a big example of masking and how autistic people struggle in social situations. masking means that someone who is neurodivergent purposefully hides their neurodivergent traits so they seem 'normal' to other people. this is an extremely common thing for autistic people, because we feel that not masking who we are is going to make others think we’re weird. to make sure this doesnt happen, we mimick others around us so we arent seen that way.

sarah also notices how nick is more himself when hes around charlie in season 1 episode 2, but not with his other friends. nick also acknowledges this. it seems like charlie is one of the people around whom nick feels comfortable enough to unmask and show his real personality.

nick tends to not pick up on jokes, for example in season 1 episode 1. 

in this scene, charlie makes a joke but nick thinks that hes being serious and immediately reacts very self-consciously when it is brought up by charlie. season 1 episode 7 too, because charlie says 'he's not even my type' to harry as a way to deflect and nick's face seems like he definitely misread that and thought charlie was being serious.

there are also moments where nick comes off as blunt when he doesnt mean to, even towards charlie. this is especially noticeable in season 1 episode 4, both on the field and in the scene w the antiseptic wipes. one thing that comes to mind is how he leaves very quickly when isaac finds out theyre dating. that scene used to upset me, but i understood it more when i realised.

what i really relate to is how nick struggles to express himself about how he feels, this is a very common theme in the first few volumes of the comics and the show. we autistic people tend to struggle w expressing ourselves a lot.

one last thing regarding this subject, nick mimicking his year 11 friends' humour. specifically in season 1 episode 3, the scene where imogen asks for an invite to the party, this screams autism to me.

part 6: sensory comforts, the very last part of my essay!

in the nick and charlie novella, charlie mentions how nick likes the sound felt-tips make on paper. many autistic people tend to find comfort in specific sounds, which can include felt-tips, rain and other similar things. this is because we perceive sensitivity differently.

waow, u reached the end! thanks so much for reading, if u liked this feel free to give me some kudos! see ya in the next yapping sesh x