LaGuardia Community College has a club for just about every interest and skill. Photography, chess, creative writing, women in stem, tabletop board games, psychology, cooking, anime, economics, are all clubs organized by students for students. Despite the presence of these clubs at LaGuardia, each offering leadership and community-building opportunities, a growing number of LaGuardia students […]
LEGO for Wellness
As we reminisce on our childhood, the thought of LEGOs comes to mind. The classic Danish toy has had an effect on the lives of children everywhere, allowing them to build whatever their tiny hearts may desire through interlocking plastic blocks. As a more hands-on approach, LaGuardia Community College’s Wellness Center introduced the toy as a mechanism to better develop students’ social interactions through a mini counseling session.
On January 6th, LaGCC students were invited to LEGO for Wellness, an event hosted by the Wellness Center. Three large boxes of LEGOs were scattered around a table in front of participating students and faculty.
Joseph Schick, a Wellness Center intern and host of the event, welcomed guests with a bright smile, and encouraged everyone to “build anything you’d like.” The Wellness Center demonstrated how playing with LEGOs can become a relaxant while going through a traumatic time, or can even serve as a hobby.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, LEGOs have been influencing the next generation of engineers.
“When I have a good or bad day, LEGOs are something that put me in a zone. It’s a relaxation and I forget about everything else too,” says Mr. Schick while building with multiple LEGO blocks.
Mr. Schick who is studying to be a social worker at New York University, proves that paying with LEGOs can be a relaxant to anybody at whatever age. While playing with the LEGOs he reminisces about the games he played with as a child. Also sitting at the table are Santiago Rozze and Jimmy Franco, two students who attend LaGuardia and are active within the Wellness Center.
Mr. Rozze, a Biology major at LaGCC, explains how stressful his studies can become. However, he continues to attend multiple school events that have helped him stabilize his mental health. “If you continue to attend school events like these, you never know who you’ll interact with,” he says. “The best part is you meet great people who can possibly be under the same amount of stress that you are in.”
Mr. Franco, a Business Administration major has been attending clubs and events since his first semester at LaGCC. He has volunteered his time to the Student Government Association. He has also been involved with the Japanese Club, where he met Mr. Rozze.
“When you attend school events, it really makes you feel like you’ve forgotten everything around you. It’s a good thing, you meet new people, you engage with things out of your comfort zone and you feel like you’re being involved,” Mr. Franco shares.
Business Insider has reported that LEGO will be building a set for adults to help reduce stress and anxiety. Sources from a preliminary study of LEGO have verified its therapeutic benefits, showing it is a workplace stress and anxiety reducer for employees who have tested the product themselves.
Students who were part of the event, including Mr. Schick, were not aware of the toys mental health benefits. “I remember reading an article like that, but I didn’t quite believe it. But if it does happen, that sounds exciting,” Mr. Schick mentions while gathering all the LEGOs as the event ends.
“Not everyone has guts to just show up the Wellness Center and ask if they can speak with someone,” he explains. “That’s why we continue to have activities like these. We have tai-chi, yoga, and other sessions to make sure all of LaGuardia’s students are doing okay with their mental health. Something as simple as this can and will make a difference to a student or faculty.”