The Old Souls Club implies that perhaps a group of elderly students have formed a club on campus, when in fact that couldn’t be further from what this club is all about. Jenna Reed, the president and founder of the club, took up crocheting during her time at home during the pandemic and has now inspired people around her to take joy in crocheting when they meet every other Wednesday.

There was already a knitting club on campus. But Jenna Reed, Makayla Mickelson, Payton Bittner, and Kathleen Suelzer took it upon themselves to form a club that highlighted in on the craft of crochet.  They say the club overall is about encouraging creativity in the IU community.

Over the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world were forced to conform to a new era of technology-based life. The Old Souls club is the exception, highlighting a more old-fashioned pace and craft. During the pandemic 52 % of Americans reported a major change in their lives which included having to adapt to using new technology. People were forced to use technology as a way to continue their daily lives by shopping online, schooling online, and staying connected to family. With so many ways of life being converted to online, 58 % of adults now say that the internet has become essential to their daily living.

Increased dependence on technology has increased stress as well. That’s why many people are taking up stress-reduction hobbies that require no technology. The product of the Old Souls club grew from a desire to escape the internet.

There are other novel forms of escape. One industry which thrived during the pandemic, was the RV industry. Companies such as Winnebago and Thor saw profits spike as people looked for ways to escape their homes during the pandemic.Winnebago is up 50% in sales over the course of 2020-2021, and Thor doubled its business 100 in the same amount of time.

While the Old Souls Club cannot drive you around the country, they welcome all who know or want to learn how to crochet to gather once a week and have a fun and fellowship. They meet every other Wednesday in Ballentine Hall.