I Have Become AFOL

Okay, okay, I know that the title is not grammatically correct. Well, not grammatically correct if you break apart the acronym of AFOL. But what or who is AFOL? Is it the Abstract Friends of Oscar Leonard? Or the Australian Federation of Onion Lovers? No, it is neither of these. AFOL is an acronym that stands for Adult Fans of LEGO, and is pronounced like the word awful.

So, what is an Adult Fan of LEGO?

An adult fan of LEGO is someone that has rediscovered their love of LEGO. Like many people in the world, they are people that were told when they reached a certain age, they had to give up “childish” things. However, LEGO has moved far beyond what they were when most of us were children.

Over the years, LEGO has expanded its product lines, or “Themes” as they like to call them. The various "Themes" that LEGO offers have expanded in both variety and complexity over the company’s history. With certain themes being consistent throughout the company’s history, such as castles, cars, pirates, and space-themed sets. Some others have waxed and waned with changing trends.

Of the more adult-oriented themes, Technic is the oldest. Introduced in the late 70s, Technic has expanded from simply offering gears, axles, and pins, to offering specialized body panels. The increasing levels of complexity and specificity in parts available have allowed builders of all ages to create more detailed designs.

So, how did I become AFOL?

Well, as mentioned before, once I reached an age where I was “too old to play with toys,” I gave up a lot of things. At first, I gave the majority of my LEGOs to my brothers that are much younger than me. For a while, I was able to still have fun with my LEGOs as long as it was in the context of playing with my brothers. However, this did not last long. There is an unfortunate reality in our society that often shuns adults for continuing to enjoy such things into adulthood.

What brought me back?

What brought me back initially was buying sets for my son. This reignited my passion and love for the little plastic bricks. But after a while, I started buying sets for myself to build, so I didn’t have to mooch off my son. This led to me becoming more and more intrigued with the more adult sets that LEGO now offers. And this set off a whole new cavalcade of fun.

I started relatively small, still feeling the twinge of guilt over buying a “toy” for myself. However, when LEGO came out with the Saturn V rocket set, and their ever-expanding line of minifigure collections, I was hooked. Now, I don’t buy any old LEGO set, I do pick and choose which ones I want. There may be two similar sets from a certain theme, but I don’t always want both. Also, the reality I faced as a child, the dreaded inability to buy that amazing but expensive, set still exists. But I do splurge when I can.

Also, as my son has grown older, my relationship with him and LEGO has evolved. At first, we were just building his little sets together. But now, LEGO has become a bonding experience for the whole family, with most everyone getting some kind of set for Christmas. Building LEGOs has also helped me manage my stress when I don’t have many other options.

This became very important when I was sent to Washington for work during COVID. While I was out there, I was unfortunately alone. However, once things calmed down a bit, I started building again. I had bought myself the new 1989 Batwing, and my son had received several sets for Christmas. This led to me sitting down to have a Zoom building session with him most every day. And that was one of the best things that got me through those lonely times.

So, if you’re feeling a little down. Or feel like you gave up part of yourself a long time ago, maybe go buy a LEGO set. Or maybe just some random pieces at a garage sale, and see how much fun you can have.

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