The Craft Room in Disney Hall may have been shuttered by COVID-19, but students are proving to be just as crafty as ever!
More than 100 craft supply bags were distributed during the first four weeks of the now virtual Residence Life program, so craft enthusiasts are continuing to craft.
“I think they are responding well; we are seeking a lot of repeat participants,” reports Assistant Director of Residence Life/Townhouse Coordinator Dan Goodwin. Between 24 and 30 students are participating in the program each week. “We are finding a lot of regulars who are repeating each week.” Among the regulars is a University Townhouse group.
Given the virtual format is new, Mr. Goodwin wouldn’t be surprised to see an uptick in the numbers during the semester.
Students sign up on the Residence Life website at https://www.fredonia.edu/student-life/residence-life/craft-room for each week’s craft. “Students can see four weeks out the crafts that are set up, so they can sign up for whichever week they want,” Goodwin explains. “They can decide to do one or two, or do them all.”
So what crafts are on the agenda? Origami is up during the week of Sept. 28 through Oct. 2. It’ll be followed by mandalas and then bookmarks. Journal decorating is the current week’s craft.
Two student assistants bag the needed supplies each week, and then the bags are delivered to residence halls by Counselor in Residence Miranda Shelanskey and Goodwin, so students can work on projects in their rooms.
“We supply whatever items are needed for the craft; we rotate the craft weekly, to give some kind of variation of crafts. We’re finding that students like that,” Goodwin said. Pursuing a creativity activity can provide balance to academic work, and it can be therapeutic for some students, too.
Students are being asked to take photos of their crafts so Residence Life can post them on their social media pages. “We’re starting to get more, getting students in the habit of submitting photos,” Goodwin said.
