Image by Henry Marte Crochet Club's e-Board, starting from the left, Shruthi Saravanan, Allison Koenig, Patricia Pham, Celyn Cruz and Valeria Cauia, are helping students find a new hobby and community.
Doomscrolling. Nonstop notifications. Viral videos. Endless updates. It can be hard to put down your phone; by some estimates, young adults spend up to nine hours a day looking at screens. But with a growing recognition of the negative mental health effects of so much screen time, many people are looking for alternatives.
Take, for example, UMass Lowell’s Crochet Club. Founded in 2024 by Julianne Gath ’24, ’25, the club provides a space where students can get away from technology and do something tactile in the company of others. Club members put their energy into creating sweaters, scarves, plushies, and more, all while making new friends and bonding with fellow crocheters.
“It’s a unique form of self-care,” says club president Patricia Pham, a senior business administration major.
Pham, who joined the club in her sophomore year, was reintroduced to the hobby by her roommate when she got to UMass Lowell.
“It's really fun to create cool little things, and it helps you relax your mind at the same time,” she says.
Nationally, “grandma hobbies” like crocheting and knitting have seen a resurgence in recent years, largely driven by people looking for a relaxing hobby and an escape from the digital world. Pham said that about 50 students showed up for the Crochet Club’s first meeting.
“I put my phone away and engage in conversation with people who also care about crocheting. At the end of the day, students of all majors need a way to de-stress,” says Valeria Cauia, the club’s secretary.
Cauia, a sophomore nursing major, knew she wanted to attend a college with a crochet club. She began crocheting during COVID and says she is proud she can make things that are not only creative, but functional as well.
Image by Henry Marte Crochet Club meets weekly in Ball Hall, transforming the lecture hall into a creative space.
The club, which meets on most Thursday nights in Ball Hall, offers students all the materials and instruction they need to start a project. Yarn and hooks are provided at every meeting, and attendees can scan a QR code that brings them to information for that day’s project. Past projects have included pumpkin coasters and bunny keychains. Resources for beginner patterns are also easily accessible. And there’s always someone to help if a crocheter gets stymied with a stitch.
While the club sees its fair share of students with experience, many who join are picking up crochet hooks for the first time.
“I knew I wanted to join a club that had nothing to do with my major and try something completely new,” says David Nazzaro, a junior computer science major.
Nazzaro joined the club in his freshman year and has been coming back ever since to build on his skills and meet new people.
Image by Henry Marte David Nazzaro found Crochet Club his freshman year and has returned ever since, for the crafts and community.
Thanks to Celyn Cruz, the club’s social media manager, it has an active Instagram informing students of meeting times and each week’s project.
“This position has given me a cool opportunity to visually represent something I'm passionate about,” says Cruz, a senior graphic design major who began crocheting in elementary school.
Sophomore civil engineering major Bridget Schneider appreciates the creative freedom that the club provides, noting that the environment is supportive and helpful.
“If you don't want to do the project they're offering, you can always bring your own to work on, and they will assist you,” says Schneider, who joined her freshman year.
Image by Henry Marte Bridget Schneider, left, and a fellow student enjoy working on their latest projects at Crochet Club.
Pham and vice president Allison Koenig make an effort to offer students fun events and themed nights. They also regularly collaborate with other clubs, such as Pride Alliance to make rainbow bee plushies and the Pre-Dental Society to craft tooth fairy plushies.
“Some of my favorites have been making hats to donate to shelters and our themed nights for ‘The Office’ and ‘The Legend of Zelda,’” says Koenig, a junior accounting major.
Club treasurer Shruthi Saravanan, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2026 and is currently pursuing her master’s, is glad that she has found a way to stay involved. A member since her sophomore year, Saravanan has enjoyed watching the crocheters become more skilled.
“We have so many people who started as beginners and now share their personal crocheting projects that they've been able to do in their free time at home,” she says.
For Koenig, spending time with other students in a fun, creative environment has been a perfect antidote to excess screen time and the stress of a packed schedule.
“It is more important than ever for students to get off their screens and connect with others by doing a hobby that allows them to be creative,” she says.