YC Student Achieves Viral Fame After Scaring Friends With Spooky Costume

York College freshman Makayla Rose Martinez never expected internet fame when she ordered a creepy Halloween costume. However, a week after she posted a video to Twitter with the caption “Best $40 I ever spent”  where she pranks students wearing the nightmarish bodysuit, she’s become a viral sensation. Her post has been viewed millions of times and has been picked up by news outfits such as Fox News, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Daily Mail (UK), Telemundo NBC and lots more. Currently it’s the fourth most popular item on TimeMagazine.com. ​

---

The video shows Martinez wearing the frightening getup, first in the bathroom of a dorm where she gives the camera a wave, then in residence halls and other campus locations, where she lurks by the elevators and entrances, waiting for students to walk by. A soccer player and former gymnast, Martinez’s athletic prowess is apparent as she runs on all fours, jumps over tables, and does a backbend and walks with her body arched. Her movements are undoubtedly creepy, but the video’s popularity is likely due to the hilarious responses of her fellow classmates, who try to keep their cool--but are clearly terrified.

“I ordered it and when it finally came, I showed all my friends in the dorms. They were all laughing and thought it was the funniest thing,” she said. It was the friends who suggested she go to other places on campus to spread the Halloween spookiness. “Everybody was pretty cool about it. At first they were scared, then they were laughing about it.”

Martinez says the experience of her overnight social fame has her considering switching her chemistry major to communication. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I was really surprised this went viral,” said the first semester student, who hails from Madera, California. “It’s been cool to see it go viral. I’m more interested in social media now, because it’s crazy to see how much attention you can get for something that just makes someone laugh. It’s been fascinating. People have enjoyed it so much.”

What’s next for the social star? “People have been asking for a part two,” she said. “Maybe a Youtube channel.” But for now, she’s just focused on her studies at York College.

It’s a strange and surreal experience to be internet famous, says Martinez,  but also fun. “When I travel, I’ve seen people watching my video and told them, ‘hey, that’s me!’ I’ve seen videos that go viral...but when it’s me, it’s so different. But I’m pretty open to it.”

---