Legos… something I played with a bit as a kid, but definitely something my older brother enjoyed a LOT more. My parents have a crazy Lego collection—like, an unreal amount. We both played with them growing up, but I was never as into them as he was. Don’t get me wrong, I had my moments where I loved it, but Legos were never at the peak of my interests.

What I did love, though, was watching my older brother build. And yes—I also loved destroying his builds whenever he’d run to get my parents to show them what he made. (To be fair, that was mostly with building blocks, not Legos… but I definitely had my moments with Legos too.) I didn’t always ruin his creations, but sometimes I was a little asshole. Mostly, though, I wasn’t, because I’ve always looked up to him. Always have, always will.

Fast-forward to today… I just built a Lego set for the second time in the last couple of months, and let me tell you: I’m going to keep buying sets because it is honestly so fun and relaxing.

I’m always trying to find new hobbies that are enjoyable and calming, and Legos have become one. A couple months ago, my girl bought me the Sorting Hat (from Harry Potter) Lego set for my birthday, and I had an absolute BALL building it. I did it while watching football on a Sunday, and it was amazing. It took about three hours, but it was so worth it—something relaxing, something I could display, and something tied to something I love.

Because Harry Potter? That’s been my thing since I was a kid. Books, movies, video games—you name it. I was Harry Potter for like 3–4 Halloweens in a row. I read and collected all the books growing up. I was obsessed with all the video games. Harry Potter Quidditch was my absolute shit; nobody—my brother, my friends, anyone—could beat me in that game.

So when the latest video game, Hogwarts Legacy, dropped, I was hyped. The open-world concept, the visuals, everything… and it totally lived up to my expectations. (I’ll drop a full review on that another time before I get sidetracked.)

Anyway, back to the Legos. A couple weeks ago, I was in Five Below after getting a pedicure, waiting for my girl to finish her nails, and I came across a Lego set of the Weasley family’s magic car. It was like fifteen bucks. I was like, oh, gotta cop that. At that price, it was a steal.

Today I finally built it while watching football and man, I loved it again. It was so much fun seeing the whole thing come together—and not having the Jets stressing me out since we already took that L on Thursday. It was just pure vibes building it. And while I love anything Harry Potter, I think I loved this one extra because the first three movies are my favorites.

I’m going to keep looking out for more Harry Potter sets, of course, but also ones that just interest me. My brother has a bootleg Jets helmet he and his wife built, which is super dope, but I know that one is time-consuming and tedious. I also want to do one of the Nike x Lego collabs—Nike is probably my favorite brand, so that one is a must. Plus, these sets feel like collectibles to me—something to cherish, display, and show off.

I can’t wait for when my girl and I have a bigger place with more space to display everything, because then I’ll really start collecting. Right now I have limited space, so I have to be selective—but at the same time, I also think long-term. Just because I don’t have the room today doesn’t mean I won’t have it down the road. Some sets will be harder to find later, so why pass on something you can afford now?

I always say: if you can swing it—get it. Whether it’s a Lego set, sports memorabilia, or a new fit. If it’s something you want, something you’ll eventually have the space or moment for, don’t let the opportunity pass.

– Jett Garden