During the Covid era and with so much free time to occupy, many students picked up unconventional hobbies like sewing, baking and crocheting. Traditionally, people think of these hobbies as “old lady-ish,” due to the fact that these projects usually require much time and focus.

Since so much focus is required, some people find the task to be calming and a way to de-stress from school, work and other extracurricular activities.

“It’s something that I could do to help fix things,” said freshman Almirrah Faith Elmiligy, who crochets, sews and bakes. “It helps me focus on the smaller things, like my perception of depth and hand movements.”

Some students who say they began crocheting during COVID-19 turned to popular sites like YouTube for hobby ideas.

“I mostly started because I was bored at home and kind of in quarantine,” junior Ayden Meyers, a crocheter, said. “I saw someone on social media with a cute hat and didn’t feel like buying one, so I just got the supplies to make one instead. Then I spent 12 consecutive hours making it.”

One obstacle to having a hobby is having an adequate budget for it. Many save money by only buying what they need for each specific project. Meyers and sophomore Cora Kidd both buy only the needed supplies for each project.

“I try to only buy yarn and fabric for things I know I am going to make,” Kidd said. She started crocheting as a hobby nearly a year ago.

When creating original pieces, a new challenge presents itself- in the form of people asking for homemade items. Meyers, Kidd and Elmiligy all share the common requests from friends for crocheted items as gifts. Specialized gifts are often asked for since they are so individual and unique.

“Usually I get asked to fix something,” Elmiligy said. “But at the same time close friends and family members ask me sometimes to make them something special.”

Often times, people who crochet are asked, “What are you knitting?” This is a common error that many people make when asking about someone’s current work. However, the reaction to this question is varied. Some people are annoyed when their focus is broken, while others react positively.

“I’m normally happy when people ask what I’m knitting,” said sophomore Makena Moore, who recently began knitting. “It’s nicer than them being mean. Usually they just ask why I would knit since I’m only 16.”

While inspiring others to try out new hobbies isn’t always a priority, sometimes a happy accident is the result. Helping others find ways to de-stress is an unintentional but welcome experience.

“I surprisingly got one friend inspired to try knitting, which I do not do,” Kidd said.