With the end of the academic year approaching and finals looming, many students are likely longing for simpler times. For students wishing to relieve pre-exam stress and reconnect with their past, a trip down memory lane is available on campus.

The Official LEGO Club of ISU was established by Alexander Hofstad, junior in marketing, at the beginning of the semester. The club holds meetings from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Fridays in Martin Hall.

LEGO bricks are often considered toys for children, but Hofstad said they have lifelong appeal.

“I have been working with LEGO since I inherited my older brother’s collection when I was 3 [years old]. My interest was sparked again after I began working at the LEGO Imagination Center in the Mall of America three years ago,” Hofstad said.

Hofstad has a lot of LEGO bricks in his room, and noticed that others on his floor showed interest in LEGO, as well.

“People like playing with LEGO [bricks], so we decided to make an official club. It is a good way to bring people together to have fun, work and play together. The atmosphere is relaxing,” Hofstad said.

Jasmine D’Souza, junior in aerospace engineering and LEGO club member, said the club has more benefits than the physical products that are created.

“It is a good break from homework and a fun time to hang out with friends,” she said. “I played with LEGO [bricks] as a kid, and after Alex [Hofstad] started this club, I remembered how fun they were.”

Members pay a $10-per-semester fee to belong to the club, which goes toward the purchase of LEGO bricks. Presently, the club shares 12,880 bricks for its creative undertakings.

Nicholas Koren, senior in mechanical engineering and LEGO club member, said that LEGO is a great outlet for creativity.

He has plenty of practice in the past working with the building toys.

“I worked on a project with four other people, and we built a four-and-a-half foot tall Pillsbury Doughboy completely out of LEGO. We got to keep his head, which weighed 250 pounds,” Koren said.

LEGO club is accepting any interested students to join. Members hope to build a mini-campus model to display at Veishea in the future.

This large project is still in the planning stages, but it is an exciting proposal to the members of the club.

“We will each take a building and recreate it, and then we can piece all of them together. This way, each person can have a role in the construction,” Hofstad said.

In regards to long-term plans for the club, Hofstad said he plans for the club to keep growing, brick by brick.

“I want the club can grow and carry on after the ‘first generation.’ Hopefully, we can keep the imagination flowing and pass on LEGO to future generations here at ISU,” he said.