Our Geek of the Week this week is Cosplay Counselor Irene. When she’s not dressing up as her favorite characters, she’s counseling high school kids and also sharing her adventures and advice on her YouTube channel. You can find out more about Irene on her website CosplayCounselor.com and her social accounts at @cosplaycounselor.

Please introduce yourself:

Hi! My name’s Irene and I’m the Cosplay Counselor! I’m a credential school counselor and work with high school students in Southern California. When I’m not advising students on their paths after high school, I attend various geek conventions and volunteer as a charity cosplayer for community events.

What do you geek out on?

Oh my goodness! Where to start? I absolutely love superheroes! DC and Marvel are my bread and butter and within the past few years I started to really dive deep into My Hero Academia. Outside of superheroes, I also love all things Disney, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Squid Game, and Harry Potter!

Do you have any children?

I do not have any biological children of my own; however, as a counselor I do work with 9th-12th graders at a comprehensive high school. I work more closely with the juniors and seniors especially when it comes to college applications; however, my office is open to all 2300 students!

Marvel or DC? and Why?

That’s tough. Growing up it was definitely DC as I always looked forward to watching Batman the Animated Series, Justice League Animated Series, Batman Beyond, among others. However, in my adult years I’ve grown really fondly of the various MCU characters especially from phase four! I have a strong connection to Xialing from Shang Chi and I love Sersi from Eternals. Regardless, I love both DC and Marvel since they’re both a big part of who I am.

Star Wars or Star Trek? and Why?

Star Wars definitely (and specifically Ep 4, 5, 6). The storyline, action, and actors just really sold it for me and I felt like the cast all had such great chemistry. I never really got into Star Trek.

Favorite video game now, or as a kid, or both if you are a long-time gamer:

I was never very good at it, but I loved Street Fighter growing up. As an adult I was one of those crazy people that would drive to different areas and look for rare Pokemon when Pokemon Go first came out. lol

Were you a geeky kid or did you come into it later in life?

I’ve always been a geeky kid. Both my parents worked so after school I would watch various superhero cartoons to keep me out of trouble. I like to say that Batman and Wonder Woman were my babysitters!

Have you ever cosplayed as a favorite character?

I ONLY cosplay my favorite characters! lol and that list is LONG; however some of my top cosplays include: Chun Li (Street Fighter) as my favorite comfort cosplay, Wondie (Animated Justice League) as my favorite powerhouse icon, Snow White as my favorite Disney Princess, and Momo Yaoyorozu (My Hero Academia) as my favorite Anime cosplay. As for villains, I adore Vanessa (Ursula’s human form from the Little Mermaid); however, Catwoman from Batman the Animated Series is a fan favorite and always gets a lot of love!

What is your favorite geeky event you’ve attended or would like to go to?

Being based in SoCal, I’m lucky to have been to a number of conventions here including: D23 (Disney Convention), San Diego Comic Con, Anime Expo etc. However, Wondercon in Anaheim, CA is still my all-time favorite convention! There’s tons of cool merch in Artist Alley, amazing cosplays, entertaining/informative panels! and of course I get to see so many of my friends! However, I will be attending Star Wars Celebration (for the first time!) in May and hope to one day go to an out of state or international convention! So Wondercon may be de-throned depending on future competitors!

Are you working on anything right now you’d like to share or promote?

I have several cosplay group photo shoots in the works. Additionally, I will be taking a two-week tour of the United Kingdom this summer and plan to vlog and/or provide a brief snapshot of five UK colleges for my YouTube channel! Maybe if I’m able to secure tickets to the Cursed Child Theatrical Performance or WB Studio Tours I’ll also document some Harry Potter footage as well!

I started working at a Title one school this year, so my YouTube channel has taken a backseat as I adjust to a new school environment. Nevertheless, I’m excited to share new content (counseling on YouTube and cosplay on all the other social media platforms) and hope you’ll check them out!