Looking out over an eager crowd of around 30 Georgia Southern students, Raven and Beast Boy – the super heroes of Teen Titan’s Go fame – throw back their shoulders, paste smiles across their faces, and strut the runway when their names are called over the microphone. With their feet clicking against the red bricks of the residential walkway, they’re without a doubt hoping that they’ll win the Jack-o-Masterpieces Costume Contest.

On Oct. 20, Windward Commons held the Jack-o-Masterpieces Costume Contest. As tables of pumpkin-painting onlookers lined  either side of the walkway, the center was transformed into its official runway. In front of an excited crowd of onlooking students, most of them painting plastic pumpkins provided by the RAs, an equally excited – yet notably more costumed and pumpkinless – group of students prepared to walk down the ad-hoc runway.

As the contestants prepared themselves at the “foot” of the runway, they weren’t the only ones excited to see this event begin. Co-organizer and emcee, Windward RA Kristen Arnold, looked out excitedly over the crowd. Dressed as Steve Harvey, she stood up and announced that the costume contest was to begin. 

The first contestant was called, the next, and then the event was finding its flow. One of the first to walk the aisle was The King himself, Hank Hill; later came a mideval plague doctor; followed by Raven and Beast Boy themselves.

When they walked the length of the runway, Raven and Beast Boy turned around and waved with gracious smiles, and the students cheered their performance.

“It was fun getting to dress up and getting to be able actually preview my Halloween costume,” said Reagan Sharp, the GSU student dressed as Raven. 

And this is about as good of a preview as a student can get! While most of us try on costumes in the SPIRIT mirrors, fretting over the fit and the price tags, these contestants stepped onto their personal runway. If that isn’t a great proof of concept, this reporter doesn’t know what is. 

Cheering on the costumes of fellow students, painting pumpkins under the stars, and laughing at Steve Harvey’s jokes; a night to remember for sure, but it’s missing something. This, afterall, was a costume competition. After the last contestant walked the run way, the crowd of students-turned-judges submitted their vote for the winner

By the final tally, there were three clear winners. Coming in third was the Plague Doctor; second was Hank Hill; then finally, Raven and Beast Boy won the competition.

By the end of the night, students left with smiles on their faces and pumpkins in their hands. More importantly, this event contributed to a growing sense of fun and community within the Armstrong Campus. According to Kristen, “people need to see that college is more than just work.” 

Jack-o-Masterpieces did just that – bringing students together, sitting at the same tables, and sharing a fun night under the stars. “These types of events are where you can just sit at a community table… you sit down and talk to people,” Kristen added.