Stitch by stitch: How one UA student knits together life in graduate school

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For Haley Burchard, surviving a doctoral program takes more than academic discipline. It takes yarn.

Burchard, a Literature and Cultural Studies doctoral student in the University of Arizona’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese, knows the pressure of graduate school well. On top of her coursework, she tutors, presents at conferences, and teaches Spanish to more than 40 students.

“You have to be kind of a perfectionist in grad school, and that’s not healthy in all aspects,” Burchard said.

To balance the weight of it all, she turns to crocheting and knitting. And she doesn’t wait until she gets home to do it. Burchard brings her needles and yarn right into the classroom, stitching through lectures to release energy and stay focused on the material.

It might look unconventional, but for Burchard, it works. The repetitive motion gives her hands something to do while her mind stays engaged, making it a small but meaningful way to keep burnout at bay in a demanding program.

She says finding that kind of outlet isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

“If you don’t have an outlet or you don’t find something that is going to provide something else, it’s really hard to feel really lost,” Burchard said.

Her advice to fellow grad students: don’t wait until burnout forces you to slow down. Find the thing that keeps you grounded, whether that’s yarn, a run, a paintbrush, or something else entirely, and make room for it, even in the middle of class.