The Halloween spirit was in full swing at UTEP’s annual Halloween costume contest hosted by the Mineros Entertainment Board.
The contest was held to celebrate the holiday and boost school spirit among students. The event drew a large crowd of students and faculty, transforming the campus into a showcase of creativity and humor.
Dorothy Moreno, the event organizer for the entertainment board, highlighted the importance of events like these on campus.
“We want students to get involved and we want them to participate in this costume contest so that they can express themselves a little bit and get ready for the holiday,” said Moreno.
Students arrived in a wide range of costumes, from whimsical characters to pop culture icons, each outfit reflecting personal interests and creativity.
Moreno shared that events like the costume contest, with hilarious and inventive costumes can help lift students’ spirits.
“The moment that you see someone dressed up in a funny costume, that already makes you laugh,” said Moreno. “Maybe you were already having a bad day, you see someone like, ‘oh my God, that’s so funny,’ and then you kind of forget about what you were thinking about or what you were upset about.”
The fun could be seen as students displayed their creativity in an array of costumes, including Wolverine, Magneto, Krusty the Clown from The Simpsons which won second place, Rosie the Riveter, Goku from Dragon Ball Z among many others.
UTEP junior, Martha Rios, who dressed up as the Lorax by dying a onesie orange, painting her face to match, and making a bright yellow mustache and eyebrows from yarn shared that with midterms recently behind many students, the costume contest offered a much-needed break from the stresses of school.
“It’s a good break from midterms because that’s usually what happens around this time,” said Rios. “So, it’s a good chance to have fun and be silly or look super cool.”
Among the contestants was Marlene Nieto, whose costume caught the attention of judges and attendees alike, earning her first place.
Her costume, inspired by the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, showcased her creativity and turned personal quirk—being late to class—into an entertaining theme.
“Given the fact that I’m always late to class, I wanted to make fun out of the situation, and I’ve always been a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland,” said Nieto. “And it was just pretty fun doing this costume.”
Nieto’s costume included a dress inspired by the Queen of Hearts from a deck of cards, white makeup, matching hair and accessories, a rabbit nose prosthetic, and a clock to tie the whole look together.
The third-place winner was Gerardo Gorria who dressed up as Chainsaw Man from the Japanese manga series Chainsaw Man. His outfit featured props for each arm and a striking hat designed to resemble chainsaws, complete with fake blood.
“I didn’t expect it really; I thought there were other people that, that their customs were way cooler than mine and maybe they would’ve deserved it, but I’m glad I won,” said Gorria.
This Halloween, UTEP not only embraced the festive spirit of Halloween by sharing students’ creativity, passion, and humor but also strengthened the ties that bring its students together.
Ximena Cordero is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected]
