"Are you a grandma?"

This is a question I am frequently asked while spotted knitting. As a college kid, it's a bit (okay very) odd to walk into a friends room and see someone knitting. I have embraced the role of grandma, and you should too.

1. All your gifts are made with love.

I make a mean infinity scarf and dabble with hats, mittens and sweaters. They're (somewhat) fashionable, and when people wear them, they get to brag that they're wearing a gift handmade just for them. Once you learn to knit, the gift options are endless. Going off of this idea is...

2. All your gifts are relatively inexpensive.

The most I spend on yarn is $10 a roll. Once I invest in a pair of good needles, this means that all of my gifts cost me very little.

3. Knitting is a great conversation starter.

New York City is famous for being unfriendly. While sitting on the subway knitting, I have had many people strike up a conversation with me about my knitting. People are curious why a college aged girl that looks (relatively) normal, is diligently knitting on the train. I've talked to a lot of cool people because of my knitting and meeting cool people should be a goal of everyones.

4. Knitting keeps your hands busy.

In an age where everyone is constantly holding and checking their phone, it is uncomfortable to have your hands free for an extended period of time. When watching TV, instead of checking my phone every few seconds, I knit. While I binge watch Grey's Anatomy, I'm able to simultaneously create an article of clothing, and not be distracted by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

5. Knitting is a stress reliever.

Once I learned how to knit, it became a mindless task. If I've had a long day and am too wired to sleep, I knit to unwind. It works great.

PSA: Lot's of people will make fun of you. Who cares. Haters gonna hate. Knitting is awesome.