On Saturday night the College Union played host to the Inter-Geek Council Expo, where the Geneseo Medieval Club, Geneseo Area Gaming Group and Geneseo Anime Club joined together to enjoy all of things that are commonly referred to as "geeky."
GAGG provided a vast assortment of board, role-playing and miniatures games for event-goers to enjoy. Members of GAGG also made their personal video games and consoles available for use at the event.
Senior Isaac Lebwohl-Steiner, president of GAGG, said that the purpose of these games is to allow a person to "take on the role of a character in a fantasy universe."
"These games could possibly be set in the modern era and you could be working in an office, but that wouldn't be exciting," he said. "Who hasn't wanted to hit something with a sword now and then?"
The Anime Club made its mark with its re-creation of a maid café, a popular type of restaurant in Japan and in anime cartoons. The maids - cosplay (costume play) loving members of the Anime Club - wore traditional black and white dresses with aprons, stockings and headpieces. Junior Josephine Lukito, who helped to organize the maid café, said that the aim was to make people feel "as if you had your own personal maid" and that the main focus of the maids would be on serving food such as tea cookies, lemonade and brownies, "and making sure guys don't hit on us." The Anime Club bought materials for the maid costumes and modified each outfit to give it a personal flair, a reflection of the fabulous sewing skills that went into the project.
An iron cosplay contest was also held; Lukito described it as similar to "Iron Chef." She said, "We have cardboard, ribbons, cloth, anything you can think of and people have 20 minutes to make a costume." Participants scrambled into the materials and the contest resulted in everything from colorful schoolgirls to the Jolly Green Giant.
Medieval Club members arrayed in tunics and gowns doled out Nerf swords and axes modified with Velcro that students could hurl at felt targets.
Senior Eric Klein, vice president of Medieval Club, entered into combat with another club member, both suited up in armor that was forged by the club itself. Klein said that the expo was "designed to get all people who have hobbies that are off the beaten track together." He said he was optimistic about the influence of events like the Inter-Geek Council Expo, and said that he wanted people to know that "there is a club out there for everyone."
According to Klein, the Medieval Club began as "five or six people that got together because they thought the Middle Ages and its re-enactment were really interesting."
The Inter-Geek Council Expo was not just a showcase of geek culture but also a coming together of people who have hobbies and interests that push the boundaries of imagination, celebrate history and embrace unique creativity and talents.