Seconded. And going to a bar with the goal of finding romantic partners makes you sound particularly idiotic when you loosen up a bit. That's why many approaches here, which assume rational part, especially - importantly - at the moment of human-touchness, e.g. when you're actually communicating with potential partners, can fail dramatically. Imagine you'd drink enough and start broadcasting a little your ideas which brought you - especially if you're a nerd - to the bar. You're going to have spectacular, epic what-they-say. And if you don't loosen up, you're perceived as incincere, somebody who's hiding something, likely nasty, behind them and trying to catch strangers in who knows which schemes.

Practice sounding like an idiot while sober! ;)

intelligence can be intimidating; overbearing intelligence is almost a turn-off

maybe people are just waiting until you're down on their level

Most women aren't intimidated by intelligence. They're turned off by condescending assholes who constantly recite facts and contradict others instead of carrying on a normal conversation.