anorak check

An anorak check is a moment when someone pauses to acknowledge — or gets called out for — going full obsessive nerd mode. Borrowed from the format of 'vibe check' and 'nerd check', it functions as a lighthearted audit: are you currently deep in a Wikipedia rabbit hole about train timetables? Are you reciting bus route facts nobody asked for? Anorak check. It can be self-applied (a person catching themselves mid-lecture) or aimed at a friend who's clearly gone too deep on their niche interest. The check isn't necessarily a diss — anoraks often wear the label as a badge of honour.