By Sophia Castro Astor
In a small, living-room-like setting in Fort Awesome’s lighthouse lounge, Purchase students can disconnect from the rest of campus at the Knit, Crochet, Relax club while making small talk about things like primary colors, TikTok, traveling, and yarn textures.
For one peaceful hour every Friday, students can sink into cloud-like couches, make themselves a cup of tea, and practice or learn how to knit and crochet.
The club was founded this semester by one of Purchase’s psychologists, Dr. Shanaz Moudu, after she told her director she used knitting as a way to stay sane throughout quarantine. Her director suggested she use it as a way to help students relax as well.
Only a few people have attended the meetings so far, and most of them found out about it through working with Moudu at the counseling center. The club attracts a quiet, reserved crowd who come because it’s a positive distraction for them, whether they crochet, knit, draw or just sit and talk.
Adrienne Torres, a senior theater and performance major, comes to take a break from her busy mind and schedule.
“I want to do something productive instead of wallow,” she says. “I look forward to letting go of everything and being artistic and creative.”
Part of the club’s appeal comes from its comfortably mundane conversations that always seem to include a compliment or two. It’s a nice break from the intensity of college life. Nothing is ever too serious, and Moudu always has something encouraging to say.
Summer Carty, a freshman cinema studies major, says she comes because she enjoys being around people who want to take some time to relax, which the club does a good job of helping them do.
Students feel that the environment seems to evaporate negativity. From the feeling of being in a safe space to the mindfulness that knitting and crochet help people achieve, they say this club is a much needed stress reliever. So much so that even a member’s service dog, with his ears down and tongue out, could be seen relaxing.