Though they weren’t building a rocket, fighting a mummy or climbing up the Eiffel Tower, dozens of students spent a carefree afternoon bringing out their inner child at a “Phineas and Ferb”-themed Lego building event in the Student Union Ballroom on Thursday.
Hosted by Associated Students (A.S.), the “Watcha’ Building” event featured Lego kits, movie screenings, a photo booth and a special appearance by “Perry the Platypus” – a student dressed in a teal onesie with a brown fedora and yellow beaver tail.
Aliya Swan, a fourth-year psychology student and A.S. event coordinator, said she thought building Lego bricks fit the inventiveness of the show’s main characters.
“I wanted to be outside the box and think, ‘OK, what would the students enjoy? What do I enjoy? And what would be different?’ ” Swan said. “I’ve always loved ‘Phineas and Ferb’ ever since I was young – sometimes I’d go to sleep watching it.”
She reached out to the creators of “Phineas and Ferb,” Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, who filmed a shout-out video to be played for students at the event. It was also posted to A.S.’s Instagram.
“Hello, San José State University,” Povenmire, who voices Dr. Doofenshmirtz, said. “We hear that you’re gonna be watching some of our episodes and movies and then making stuff yourselves!”
“There’s no limit to what you can do if you think pink,” Marsh, who voices Major Monogram, said. “Apparently, that’s true.”
Xavier Herrera, a fourth-year business analytics student, said the “Phineas and Ferb” paraphernalia reminded him of better times.
“All this music just makes me realize, ‘Man, I’m old now,’ ” Herrera said. “Like, I didn’t have any responsibilities as a kid. Now, I got responsibilities. It’s a little sad, but it’s cool.”
Janelle Langarica, a second-year industrial design student, said she invited Herrera to the event after seeing the voice actors’ shout-out on Instagram.
“I sent him a screenshot and was like, ‘We’re going. We have to,’ ” Langarica said. “And we both like Legos so it’s like, hand-in-hand. It was perfect.”
When she spotted a yellow excavator among the Lego set options, she pointed it out to Herrera.
“She was like, ‘Look, it’s you!’ ” Herrera said. “And I was like, ‘Huh, that’s crazy,’ because I work construction! That’s a no-brainer. I gotta grab it.’ It’s something I’ve had on some of my job sites, so it just kind of spoke to me, I guess.”
Students could choose from a selection of cars, animals, flowers or blind bags, whose contents were a surprise.
Langarica opted for a blind bag, hoping for a pink octopus.
“I really enjoy the surprise,” Langarica said. “I stood there with my flashlight under the bag, trying to find it. And I got it! It’s just a super cute little goofy guy.”
Jason Ryu, a third-year finance student, said he was drawn to the event’s “Phineas and Ferb” theme.
“It’s one of the cartoons I grew up on, alongside (Lego’s) Hero Factory and other niche cartoons,” Ryu said. “But ‘Phineas and Ferb’ always kind of appealed to me, so I figured, ‘Hey, might as well see what’s up.’ ”
He thought Povenmire would be the secret guest, but was pleasantly surprised by the reveal of Perry the Platypus.
“I was like, ‘Oh, shoot! This is even better!’ ” Ryu said.
“That’s my boyfriend, playing Perry,” Swan said of Mark Tusubira, a third-year kinesiology student.
Tusubira, staying in character, declined to comment, dancing and pantomiming instead.
Students dined on Chinese food from King Eggroll, cupcakes from Cupcakin and soft drinks while watching “Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension” (2011).
“As long as people come away feeling seen and heard and just have a space to chill after classes or before classes, even if they couldn’t stay the whole time, they’re able to bring out their inner child and just have fun,” Swan said.
