My name is Carleigh Skramstad, I am 20 years old, and I have been cosplaying on and off for about five years now. I really started getting serious two years ago, and have been working to get better with each and every costume. Because I grew up as a major geek, I cosplay everything from anime to comic books, and even video games! I loved comic books and anime growing up, and have come to love gaming almost as much.

Cosplay has always been my happy place, and cons have always felt like home to me. I love the welcoming atmosphere, and the fact that it’s an entire convention hall filled with people just as nerdy as I am! I have made some of the best friends in Cosplay world, and have grown so close to them that we’ve become a Cos-family! Cosplay to me is getting to dress up and be someone else; getting to put on a cape and BE a superhero. My favorite cosplay memory was the first time I put on my Spidey suit, and a little boy ran up to me in a Spiderman shirt. He very politely asked for a picture, and then as he walked away I heard him excitedly telling his mother how he got to meet Spiderwoman.

The cosplay world means so much more to me than just a bunch of nerds dressing up and hanging out for a few hours every weekend. It’s a world that welcomes everyone, regardless of shape, size, race, quality, or age. A world in which you can just be yourself.  You don’t have to pretend to be ‘normal’, or hide your excitement when you see someone dressed as Batman or Sailormoon! The Cos-world isn’t perfect, and there are always going to be people who take things a little too seriously, but as a whole it’s beautiful. It’s welcoming, and fun, filled with the excitement of everyone who attends, the exhaustion of the late night crafters, and the pride of those who spent months on just one costume.