By Megan Freeman
If you’ve ever dressed up for Halloween, you are probably already aware of what the upcoming Cosplay Club at Fitchburg State University will be all about.
“Cosplaying is about dressing up and having fun, with varying degrees of staying ‘in character’,” one of the founders of the new club explained.  Anyone who holds an interest in dressing up as and/or portraying fictional characters is welcome to join, regardless of whether or not they decide to create their own cosplay.
According to Kassie Ducharme, the club’s initial founder, the club will not only involve discussions about cosplaying itself but will also discuss the works that the fictional characters originate from. Those members who do not plan on dressing up themselves can discuss their favorite TV shows and meet people who share their interests.
“It’s a very open club,” says Ducharme. She states that cosplaying itself will be optional, though it will be one of the main focuses of the new club.
A goal Ducharme has in mind for this club is a field trip to Anime Boston, a convention held during the spring over a long weekend. This convention is a huge gathering of cosplayers as well as those who are interested in fictional universes. Traveling to this convention in a large and unified group will cut down costs and minimize potential safety issues.
The cost of cosplaying is also a major problem that Ducharme wants to help club members deal with.
Ducharme acknowledges that cosplay is expensive, especially for college students. The Cosplay Club will exist to benefit its attendees, through sharing tips and providing examples of how to keep their cosplays affordable.
“Networking is a way for people to get more friends and to share tips,” says the soon-to-be treasurer of the club. This club is a way for people with a common talent to come together and bounce ideas off of one another, hopefully forming close friendships. A point that Ducharme brings up is that others in the club might have even done the same cosplay. They could have tips worth sharing towards keeping costs down and improving one anothers’ experiences.
The club is already gaining support and word of this club has already began circulating around the Fitchburg State campus.
“It’s spreading among the nerds,” says Ducharme, because the need for networking in this activity is so great. “It’s all about being nerds together.”
Ducharme got the idea to form this Cosplay Club during the first Anime Club meeting of the year. By reaching out to the Anime Club on campus, Ducharme generated a lot of interest and possibly drafted some new members.
“Pin the long, heavy wigs to your shirt,” Ducharme stated, only half-jokingly, while sharing a tip she learned though cosplaying while demonstrating the convenience of the added support and explaining how doing this keeps the wig from getting damaged or strenuous to wear.
Ducharme believes that this club can greatly reduce the stress for those who participate in cosplay or want to give it a try. Those who don’t know how to start can get ideas from experienced members, while experienced members can gain new ideas.
Cosplaying itself is a popular activity, according to Ducharme, who has been doing it for years. There are many who dedicate much of their time, money, and efforts into this hobby. Ducharme states that connecting with others who cosplay will hopefully make it easier to make deadlines for events and to find motivation to keep working hard.
In order to officially create a club at Fitchburg State University, Ducharme needs a few things: 10 signatures of people interested, an executive board made up of fellow students, and a faculty club advisor. She is currently well on her way to getting the club started thanks to the amount of support and interest that have come her way so far.
Ducharme plans to hold a pre-meeting that will discuss the times and locations for interested members to coordinate the most convenient meeting locations. Excitingly, the Cosplay Club is very close to being officially established.
For those interested in learning more about the Cosplay club, Kassie Ducharme can provide you with more information at [email protected]