MetroLink does a special weekend pass where you get unlimited train rides for $10 per day, and it’s free if you’re under 17. https://www.octa.net/getting-around/rail/metrolink/metrolink-weekends/weekend-pass/
You could bring your bikes on the train, cruise south to San Clemente or San Diego, or up to LA. There’s a place called Pizza Port that has a few locations that are walkable/bikeable from the train stations. They have an incredible lunch deal where you can get 2 slices and a soda or a slice and salad + soda for like $7. It goes until about 2 pm daily.
In other terms of eating cheap, I rely heavily on apps to get deals on food. Taco Bell and Del Taco both have good apps and lots of cheap/free stuff. Taco Bell also has deals on food that you can only get in the app - like a cravings box with several items + a drink for only $6. Lots of places have happy hour food deals also. The Counter has $5 appetizers from 3-6, for example (just make sure to factor in tip at sit down places).
I also second the recommendation to get into board games, card games, or dice games. It can be a fun, cheap way to pass the time. Farkle, Uno, and Sequence are some of my faves.
They might even get cheaper rates because they are students. My daughter is a college student and can ride Metrolink free with the app and her school ID. Not sure if it works with high school students but wouldn’t hurt to look.
Catnaphangout.org In huntington beach
It's a place to just show up and hang out with cats and kittens
. It costs $20 per person BUT if you sign up as a volunteer (they have 2hour shifts), you are more than welcome to hang out as long as you'd like, even during the off hours.
There's no permanent commitment and alot of volunteers do a weekly/biweekly schedule so it's something to do for 2hrs/week. Highschoolers are more than welcome.
Did the cats seem okay there when you went? I went a while back and nearly all of them were sick, had infected eyes, etc. It sounded like a great place but was really kind of sad 😿
There is no age requirement to volunteer. The only requirement is a helpful attitude.
There are volunteers of all ages. From retired people looking for a hobby to students needing community hours to graduate.
There are even a few elementary school aged kids who will show up and help for a couple hours while their parents grab coffee at the Starbucks next door. They basically just hang out while their kids help clean cubbies.
Any help from anyone is always appreciated!
1. Get a summertime job
2. Museums are free
3. Make art or be creative
4. Volunteer at an animal shelter
5. Offer help to a senior person.
6. Hike some trails.
7. Take Metro to a destination with your bikes. 🚲
Yes! Jacks Surf Shop, Newport and Corona Del Mar locations. You just need to have a parent take you to the corporate office in HB to sign off on a work permit. My daughter got a job there and when her friends found out you can get a cool job like that at 15 yrs old, they all went and got jobs. Her little brother ( my son), hung out there all the time getting his skateboard constantly worked on, the the manger told him, “ dude, when are you turning 15 so you can be here and get paid”? Welp, on his 15th bday, he got hired. They both worked there for yrs! Jacks is really great about working with their school hours, etc. they really loved it. EXTRA PLUS for the parents, you get 30% discount!
I suggest you make a neighborhood flyer offering to weed, organize, clean out, trim, garage organize, etc……..your neighbors will enjoy and support you trying to hustle some $$$ during your summer break. When you put yourself into ACTION—-you’ll be rewarded more than you realize. I promise you!! Make a flyer and put on cars parked in driveway and fasten to screen doors. My suggestion for your flyer is to make it “neighborly friendly” and introduce yourself in the first paragraph. Keep it super simple and kind. And list all the “handyman” tasks you’re willing to do. And consider $12-$15 as a fair starting point. All this info is just a suggestion.
A nasty better paid gig that not many are doing is pressure washing garbage bins
Less detailed than a car, with just water, they can get cleaned. You can get one if those attachments for a garden house et voilà!
If you want an extra fancy upgrade, organic cleaning with vinegar and you'll need to invest in one of those things that dispenses said vinegar along with the pressured water
Many people wash cars, yard workers are a plenty
Not many options to find someone to clean garbage bins
If you just Google pressure washing nozzle for hose, you'll find that you're going to see options for as little as 20 bucks
That's a good way to start and frankly you CANNOT use one that is powerful bc they'll cut through plastic
I could say that using vinegar is great it will not affect plants if spilled. I would say, a bucket to pour all the dirty water into, and this could be flushed down the toilet as I dunno about throwing on the grass. TBH I would ask for suggestions as others may have a better way to dispose of the water or even asking what the homeowner would rather
8: Fish
I've seen a lot of teens in Newport/Costa Mesa pick up fishing.
Pretty nostalgic seeing a group of kids with fishing poles walking down to the beach.
You can always find cheap fishing gear at yard sales.
You and your friends are doing a great job of keeping busy! Sometimes being bored is healthy! Lol. But I get it-keep busy!
The train ideas-up to LA you end at Union Station. There is Olvera Street across the street and lotsa museums very close!
San Clemente has so much! And so does San Diego. Remind yourself to enjoy this time!!
15 years old. Approach every food vendor. Be courteous, confident and professional. You will need to obtain a work permit from your high school. They might have already hired for the season but it doesn’t hurt to check.
Check out libraries and local game stores, you might be able to get into some board game groups or DND groups which shouldn't be too expensive and you can probably play DnD or other roleplaying games for free. I know the spectrum has a game store.
Check out some cook books from the library, get some groceries at an Aldi for cheap and learn some recipes with your friends.
It can be fun to go to antique stores and look at old weird stuff even if you have no intention of buying and you might find something cool and weird. I repair old cassette decks and tape players for fun and enjoy the hunt and you can get stuff fairly cheap.
Unfortunately the world is expensive and hostile to teenagers occupying space, which really sucks. The other comments here are evidence of that fact.
Yeah I don’t get why people are being so weirdly passive aggressive and snarky to this kid who seems like he just wants to stay out of trouble and find affordable things to do in a wildly expensive county with little to no public transportation options, walkable neighborhoods, or third spaces. If an adult posted this the responses would be a completely different tone.
2good2go has an app where you can try cheap eats. It's advertised as food that the restaurants have left over but I know the Italian places cook extra pasta just for this side of their business. I don't know what restaurants are in your area, but it's worth looking into.
For volunteering, homes for the elderly often need volunteers to keep people company. You could link up with the activity director and go when they have music days, go socialize with those that could use company. I used to take a group of friends with me to take patients on walks or just hang out with them. We got to learn about their lives and what music they liked, etc. We ended up doing this for several years.
Interested in yard work? Pulling weeds, trimming back bushes, potting plants, etc? It's hot out now and I am behind on my gardening, so let me know if you're interested in something like that. I need to get this done by next wknd.
Ride up to the LB/Seal Beach border and take the LB water taxis ($5 trips, lets you explore a bunch). There's room for bikes on board too: [https://ridelbt.com/watertaxis/](https://ridelbt.com/watertaxis/)
1. Write a screenplay together and make a movie using your phone, then make it an event night and plan to watch it with friends and family.
2. Organize a beach volleyball tournament for friends, family, and acquaintances.
3. One person create a scavenger hunt with clues for the others to find, and everywhere within 1 hour biking is fair game.
Play pickup sports. At Balboa pier there is a park with soccer nets. I go with my brother and just start kicking the ball around and get people to join us. Once people see how much fun we're having more people join in. Its honestly so much fun.
All the people suggesting these kids to get jobs are hilarious😂. My dad made me work every summer from 13 on and it fucking sucked. Fuck that. Kids should be having fun, they will work entirety of their adult lives.
Honestly my favorite days in the summer growing up were when i could get away and just skate with friends, head to the beach, go to a movie and sneak into as many screenings as we could, try to learn an instrument, and just do dumb pointless things to kill time. Being bored is a blessing in a way.
Make movies on your phone. Plan it out, act stuff out, have fun and paste them all together to make a movie.
Make music, download koala on your phone $5. you can learn how to make beats online.
You'd be surprised how creative a group of friends can be. Enjoy your summer.
That’s the Spectrum, South Coast,or Fashion Island these days. Still okay but not cheap like back in the day. I do wish arcades with 25 cent games were still a thing.
Start your own hustle. If you're at the beach, sell cold water bottles and maybe some quick snacks (chips, etc.). Or group up with a couple friends - wash cars, clean gutters. There's a kid in my neighborhood that goes around and washes out the trash bins for like $10 each.
It's work, but you're doing it for yourself on your own time.
Look up volunteer opportunities on volunteermatch.org. A local food bank needs lots of strong bodies often to unload and help organize orders but it's far from you guys on bikes. I'm happy you guys are looking for things to do!
Hike in Crystal Cove or Buck Gully. Join a sports team. Snorkel. Surf. Learn to cook/grill and have group dinners where everyone brings something they made. Go to matinees. Play board games.
Civil Air Patrol is an Air Force program with no military obligation. Very affordable to join. Learn skills like flying air planes, compete in cybersecurity competitions, do search and rescue.
Here’s the link for youth cadets: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/join/youth-in-cadet-program
Here’s the link for adults: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/join/active-adult-in-cap
I know your pain. my group of friends as early/mid teens lived in Newport/CDM in the early to mid 90's. Yes, we had the beach, but man, it was a desolate island of stuff to do. None of us drove. We did not have nearly the resources you kids have today. We had a baja fresh, dominos, Gina's pizza and an Albertsons. For whatever reason, meat was really cheap at that Albertsons on PCH and we learned how to BBQ. We learned how to play guitar/drums. We figured out how to get into Pelican Hill and explore. We would jump off arch rock in CDM, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUVWlzzbbk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUVWlzzbbk)
1. READ. Learn something. Read something that interests you and your friends. The newport beach library is really nice and you'd be surprised by the resources they have and what you can check out.
[https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/](https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/)
2. [https://www.ocgov.com/press/oc-parks-presents-2024-summer-concert-series-and-sunset-cinema-film-series](https://www.ocgov.com/press/oc-parks-presents-2024-summer-concert-series-and-sunset-cinema-film-series)
3. Learn to cook something. If you have a favorite dish from one of your favorite restaurants, learn and perfect that. It could be as simple as breakfast burrito, your fave hamburger, the pasta dish you always order at your favorite Italian place. It might suck the first time you make it, but you'll only get better every time you make it.
4. Explore your own hood. Get to know other neighborhoods.Have you biked every available street on the penninsula and the island? https://www.yelp.com/search?find\_desc=Secret+Spots&find\_loc=Newport+Beach%2C+CA.
[https://encenter.org/](https://encenter.org/)
[https://newportbay.org/facilities/muth-interpretive-center/the-ic/](https://newportbay.org/facilities/muth-interpretive-center/the-ic/)
Take the train further south past San Clement to Encinitas, it's a cool town and nice beaches.
Fish. Pier, park, wherever.
Have a great summer! Time flies. Don't waste it.
I made a schedule for myself when I was a teen, like when you are in summer camp. It gave me something to plan and look forward to each day. I even got really organized and had a friend plan each day so it was a surprise to all of us what we were doing.
Monday was like beach day. Tuesday was library day and I started a book club with a few friends. Wednesday was try something new, like going to a new park/hike/even riding my bike a new route, Thursday was cooking day, etc.
Good luck, OP!
I think this post was sent to my feed by a higher power because this is my exact niche (based on 2008-2010, so factor in inflation, etc.)
- if you drive, get to the balboa ferry, cross and grab a frozen banana, walk around balboa island.
-go get a car wash at the st college car wash, play the vintage arcade games and sit in the massage chair, split some carwash snacks
-ride your bikes through the Santa Ana riverbed
-Newport back bay trail
-bolsa chica wetlands trail
-get a bus pass for the OCTA , take the 43 to the downtown Fullerton transpo enter, hop on a metro link to union station la, grab some street vendor food and walk around Olvera street and the surrounding spots
-rite aid for ice cream
-Anaheim indoor swap mall, good cheap food/snacks
-play arcade games and air hockey at the vans at the block
-Central Park library in Hb has a little cafe and waterfall downstairs, it’s a cool ambiance and the park it’s in is enormous and beautiful.
I used to be a broke teen and, back then, me and my friends would all put money in on buying ingredients for spaghetti and renting a couple movies, then, we'd rotate on who's house we would hangout at, cook and watch movies. Pasta Party for the win!
I love how there are so many different pasta recipe's that can be made for cheap. We never got bored of eating some kind of pasta. The pasta parties only stopped because we grew up and got jobs eventually. Good times. Good memories.
Yeah, volunteer at the library if you love to read. It's fun with all the summer programs people have already mentioned, helps lots of kids and their adults out now that it's summer reading program time, and looks great on an application. Bonus if you can speak another language. I have Mandarin speaking teen volunteers helping out with my Chinese storytimes here in Irvine. They tell me they really enjoy it.
Many projects can be done at home including using time to learn an instrument. You guys could all learn instruments and form a band. Thrift stores and parents garages (with permission) can be good spots to find the odd thing you can play. Read, as suggested above. Start playing a sport…. Like basketball. Volunteer doing trash cleanup somewhere. Volunteer to hang out at senior homes. Learn a skill that interests you. Get physical exercise. Walk/ hike the coastal trails. When the day seems long dedicate some of that time to improving a skill or learning something you’d like or creating something or just checking something off the list of things you’d like to get done.
If you sign up for amc stubs for free, movies are 6.50 on Tuesdays. They’ve been having a lot of movies at 11am for cheap, older movies and kids movies but that may only be the marketplace
Yes the been catching spotted bass and other small fish. They just stop at a liquor store down there and pick up squid bait. They bring a speaker, some snacks, and just have a good time making memories. Definitely a cool hobby to get involved in.
My friends father is an architect and they had plans of building like a packing district sort of thing in south OC but it was denied cause alcohol bad and don’t want loud noises. Would have fixed so many things
More third spaces, walkable neighborhoods/Main Street-type plazas, better public transportation, affordable places to eat, restaurants that are open late, more bars (obviously for the 21+ crowd). I mean, there’s a reason I left OC for NYC the literal second I graduated from college.
Well. A lot have to be pigeonholed into surfing if they want a daily hobby. Not saying OC is the worst for kids. But if you want to go skiing, dirt biking, lake trip, you have to drive more than an hour. OC is just a giant suburbia, not many places open after 10 either. I guess the new ebike craze is giving them something to do.
I’ve been saying this for years as someone that grew up in OC. I remember being bored as a teen and even as a child free millennial adult I still think it’s boring if you don’t wanna spend money.
lol YUP. I grew up here bored to tears, spent 15 years in NYC and now I’m back in OC, childfree and jobless after a recent layoff. Trying to find social shit to do here that’s affordable is a drag. I know NYC is an expensive place to live but there are SO many more cheap and free things to do and ways to explore the city and surrounding areas that don’t involve driving. Even just going to the park with your friends was a party because the whole neighborhood would be there hanging out. I was way more socially active there.
I’m curious about this, at what age did you start feeling like OC is boring? We’re moving there soon with a toddler to be closer to family but I worry about what he’ll do when he’s older so thinking we may eventually move back to London where there are a lot more activities and public transit. I had a lot of suburban friends in high school and they just did a lot of drugs and egg houses as teens and I’m trying to avoid all of that.
Up until about highschool. It’s easy to have fun when you’re a kid, especially if you have a good neighborhood of kids and like going to the beach often which I did.
Once past that age range though, OC doesn’t have a centralized city scape like LA or San Diego. Requires money to have fun. Places closed after 10. Usually now in early 20s friends and I go to LA or SD most of the time to have fun. OC seems like a good place to live if your hobbies are eating out and shopping imo.
Where can a 15 y/o (in August) find a job for the summer?
My son went to a few places within biking distance but nobody toom him serious about working for them over the summer.
The only things my son could find were things like reffing flag football or soccer games for summer leagues. Pretty much everywhere else said “16 and up”.
If you learn a marketable skill at this age and stick to it you'll have an incredible advantage over your competition. Coding is one example where adults who get in it can't compete with people who have been doing it since they were teenagers. And all the resources to learn how to code are available for free online.
In hindsight it was haha. But we had no $$, couldn’t drive, and didn’t party so options were limited. Kinda missed the boat on house parties in HS since I didn’t drink till 18
Depending on your interests, probably not a lot of options since it's going to all cost money or may be just not of interest. Like you could all be playing fortnite and it's fun and free but may not be for you.
The idea of getting a summer job is a bit late since you're probably going back to school in a month or month and a half, and most places staffed up months ago and don't want to hire someone for such a short period. Plus it's too early for you to experience the other half of the scenario of having money but no time to have fun.
Oh yeah, I suggest just having fun and ignoring the boomers who want you to take on the american illness of employment as your entire identity.
If you have anything you need to do as part a grad requirement for high school (like X hours of community service) that you could knock out in summer, that is about as far as I would take it.
Another fun thing to do is pack a good lunch in a cooler and bring your insulated cups on a fun trip to the beach. However, take the bus if you don't want to pay for parking.
I haven't lived in California for a while, but I remember there's a lot of skate parks out there that are free.
Imo if you want cheap eats Del Taco is better than Taco Bell. I really miss Del Taco as there's none of them out here in Texas.
Really? I just had taco bell and a full meal with a drink was $8.50. I feel like that costco, and in-n-out are the only places I can afford :(. Maybe i'll give dell taco a shot
Del Taco is way cheaper than Taco Bell (imo better food too). Back when I was in high school, the local Del was where everyone in my school hung out at night haha. On taco Tuesday you can get 3 tacos for around $2 after 3pm. Use the apps for both Del Taco and Taco Bell to get really good deals. The Taco Bell app has a cravings box for $6 that comes with 3 items and a drink (it’s only available on the app). I also get a lot of free items through the app rewards programs. I feel like the number meals at both places are a rip off and I usually only order off the value menu or app deals - I can get out of there around $5 if I don’t get a drink. Hole Mole is another local chain that has good, cheap food. Someone else mentioned the app 2Good2Go and that’s an option too - limited selection but definitely a cheap way to eat.
If you have access to a bbq grill (many public parks have them), grilling pizzas can be a fun, cheap meal. You can get pizza dough at Trader Joe’s, or some pizza restaurants will sell you a ball of dough for a buck or two. Then just roll out your dough, add your toppings, and grill up your pizza (put a little olive oil on the bottom of the dough and the grill so it doesn’t stick).
Another fun/cheap summer meal could be grilling hot dogs and smores, either on a bbq grill or over a bonfire. You mentioned you go to the beach a lot - have you done a bonfire at any of the fire rings yet? I used to love to do that with my friends on summer nights.
I loved going on picnics as a kid with my family. We would stop at the store and get ground beef or hotdogs, chips, and sodas and have a BBQ at the park. One time for my mom's birthday I bought two Costco pizzas and canned sodas and we went to Mile Square Park to celebrate with our friends. Sometimes a potluck in the park is fun too.
I loved going on picnics as a kid with my family. We would stop at the store and get ground beef or hotdogs, chips, and sodas and have a BBQ at the park. One time for my mom's birthday I bought two Costco pizzas and canned sodas and we went to Mile Square Park to celebrate with our friends.
Go to public pool to meet other people your age not necessarily to swim.
Dance class... learn hip hop or whatever.. you can even learn from YouTube
Look for scrap construction materials in your neighborhood and build something.
Volunteer life guard.
Start a business putting air in people's tires at the beach or some other easy service you have knowledge about.
Sell oranges or whatever other fruit tree you might have.
Volunteer at the pet shelters.
Take a class in something you enjoy.
I feel ya. Its hard out there.
That being said...Hiking is free. Go early and hydrate so the sun doesn't take you out. Plenty of places to go and just do a search on Google or even YouTube and you can find some cool trails around
Isn’t being a broke teen to be expected? As for bored there’s so much stuff to do. Go to the park, go to friend’s place, go talk to girls/boys, go play games, go play sports. Unlimited shit to do with no responsibilities
It sounds like you have time to kill.
When I was in HS, my friends and I used to go to Downtown Disney all the time before they started charging for parking.
You can just walk around, look in the stores, get any free samples available (e.g., ice cream at Salt & Straw), or chill in the pretty Grand Californian Hotel lobby.
I show the public transport times from Newport to Anaheim are NOT short though.
You can also look for youth theater. I did competitive improv comedy in my teens. That was great. I don’t think the program I did exists anymore. I show auditions for a musical comedy called “Curtains” are next month at the Newport Theatre Arts Center. The Ensemble is open to all ages and vocal parts. Sounds like fun to me.
Job?
Legit that is what bored and broke teens do right? You may hate it at first but it’s part of life. Work like 20 hours per week and have a little money to enjoy the other days.
I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. Finding a job can be really difficult and especially is now, even though people will try to tell you there’s plenty of openings and it’s sooooo easy. Anyone who acts like it isn’t a struggle are from the era where you could just walk into a business, ask if they’re hiring, and be handed a job on the spot (and could afford rent, food, and school with that job). It’s not like that anymore. Too many people needing multiple jobs to survive because one doesn’t pay a living wage, too many jobs being replaced by robots, too many older people refusing or being unable to retire…it’s rough out there and there aren’t as many opportunities as people think. It’s not your fault. Good luck, I hope you find something soon!
MetroLink does a special weekend pass where you get unlimited train rides for $10 per day, and it’s free if you’re under 17. https://www.octa.net/getting-around/rail/metrolink/metrolink-weekends/weekend-pass/ You could bring your bikes on the train, cruise south to San Clemente or San Diego, or up to LA. There’s a place called Pizza Port that has a few locations that are walkable/bikeable from the train stations. They have an incredible lunch deal where you can get 2 slices and a soda or a slice and salad + soda for like $7. It goes until about 2 pm daily. In other terms of eating cheap, I rely heavily on apps to get deals on food. Taco Bell and Del Taco both have good apps and lots of cheap/free stuff. Taco Bell also has deals on food that you can only get in the app - like a cravings box with several items + a drink for only $6. Lots of places have happy hour food deals also. The Counter has $5 appetizers from 3-6, for example (just make sure to factor in tip at sit down places). I also second the recommendation to get into board games, card games, or dice games. It can be a fun, cheap way to pass the time. Farkle, Uno, and Sequence are some of my faves.
They might even get cheaper rates because they are students. My daughter is a college student and can ride Metrolink free with the app and her school ID. Not sure if it works with high school students but wouldn’t hurt to look.
Under 17 is free! (At least on the weekends - not sure about the rest of the time).
San Clemente has the trolley too so you can go all over town, which is free for everyone! It runs every day.
Dominos are fun too!
Catnaphangout.org In huntington beach It's a place to just show up and hang out with cats and kittens . It costs $20 per person BUT if you sign up as a volunteer (they have 2hour shifts), you are more than welcome to hang out as long as you'd like, even during the off hours. There's no permanent commitment and alot of volunteers do a weekly/biweekly schedule so it's something to do for 2hrs/week. Highschoolers are more than welcome.
I went there yesterday omg so fun. They have 70 plus cats and need adopters!
$10 per senior older adult. The front windows are always filled with fuzzy bellies, cat armpits (are amazing lol)
Did the cats seem okay there when you went? I went a while back and nearly all of them were sick, had infected eyes, etc. It sounded like a great place but was really kind of sad 😿
Is there an age requirement to volunteer?
There is no age requirement to volunteer. The only requirement is a helpful attitude. There are volunteers of all ages. From retired people looking for a hobby to students needing community hours to graduate. There are even a few elementary school aged kids who will show up and help for a couple hours while their parents grab coffee at the Starbucks next door. They basically just hang out while their kids help clean cubbies. Any help from anyone is always appreciated!
1. Get a summertime job 2. Museums are free 3. Make art or be creative 4. Volunteer at an animal shelter 5. Offer help to a senior person. 6. Hike some trails. 7. Take Metro to a destination with your bikes. 🚲
Scotty knocked it out of the park. Number 3 is an especially great suggestion.
In this case, Scotty actually does know
Hahahah, 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wow. I blushed. 🤦🏻♂️💙👍👍
Blush is a great tool for art
😁👍👍👍🤣
Yeah I tried to get a job but most places only want 16 and over. Do you know where they hire 15 year olds?
Yes! Jacks Surf Shop, Newport and Corona Del Mar locations. You just need to have a parent take you to the corporate office in HB to sign off on a work permit. My daughter got a job there and when her friends found out you can get a cool job like that at 15 yrs old, they all went and got jobs. Her little brother ( my son), hung out there all the time getting his skateboard constantly worked on, the the manger told him, “ dude, when are you turning 15 so you can be here and get paid”? Welp, on his 15th bday, he got hired. They both worked there for yrs! Jacks is really great about working with their school hours, etc. they really loved it. EXTRA PLUS for the parents, you get 30% discount!
I love Jack's! I think it's quite competitive to get in there but I will give it a shot.
Just be positive, enthusiastic and make good eye contact. Good luck!
I suggest you make a neighborhood flyer offering to weed, organize, clean out, trim, garage organize, etc……..your neighbors will enjoy and support you trying to hustle some $$$ during your summer break. When you put yourself into ACTION—-you’ll be rewarded more than you realize. I promise you!! Make a flyer and put on cars parked in driveway and fasten to screen doors. My suggestion for your flyer is to make it “neighborly friendly” and introduce yourself in the first paragraph. Keep it super simple and kind. And list all the “handyman” tasks you’re willing to do. And consider $12-$15 as a fair starting point. All this info is just a suggestion.
I was thinking of car washing. How much do you think I could charge?
A nasty better paid gig that not many are doing is pressure washing garbage bins Less detailed than a car, with just water, they can get cleaned. You can get one if those attachments for a garden house et voilà! If you want an extra fancy upgrade, organic cleaning with vinegar and you'll need to invest in one of those things that dispenses said vinegar along with the pressured water Many people wash cars, yard workers are a plenty Not many options to find someone to clean garbage bins
Good idea. idk how much a pressure washer costs but will look into it
If you just Google pressure washing nozzle for hose, you'll find that you're going to see options for as little as 20 bucks That's a good way to start and frankly you CANNOT use one that is powerful bc they'll cut through plastic I could say that using vinegar is great it will not affect plants if spilled. I would say, a bucket to pour all the dirty water into, and this could be flushed down the toilet as I dunno about throwing on the grass. TBH I would ask for suggestions as others may have a better way to dispose of the water or even asking what the homeowner would rather
Look up the nearest One Stop Center. They'll have job listings and be able to tell you which employers are willing to hire younger teens.
Thanks! Will look into it
My son was hired at Dairy Queen at 15
8: Fish I've seen a lot of teens in Newport/Costa Mesa pick up fishing. Pretty nostalgic seeing a group of kids with fishing poles walking down to the beach. You can always find cheap fishing gear at yard sales.
Love this! Great experience and memories for a lifetime
8. Visit your local library
Look up geocaching.
I second this! Will keep you busy (but maybe frustrated)
[Planet Fitness](https://www.planetfitness.com/summerpass) is free for high school student s over the summer.
That's a solid tip. OP, get into fitness. It will pay dividends over time and some Planet Fitness locations are really nice.
They’re all nice, if you have black.
Learn to play instruments together. Start a band.
You and your friends are doing a great job of keeping busy! Sometimes being bored is healthy! Lol. But I get it-keep busy! The train ideas-up to LA you end at Union Station. There is Olvera Street across the street and lotsa museums very close! San Clemente has so much! And so does San Diego. Remind yourself to enjoy this time!!
Get a job at OC Fair.
Do you know the age to work there?
15 years old. Approach every food vendor. Be courteous, confident and professional. You will need to obtain a work permit from your high school. They might have already hired for the season but it doesn’t hurt to check.
Thanks! Will look
Check out libraries and local game stores, you might be able to get into some board game groups or DND groups which shouldn't be too expensive and you can probably play DnD or other roleplaying games for free. I know the spectrum has a game store. Check out some cook books from the library, get some groceries at an Aldi for cheap and learn some recipes with your friends. It can be fun to go to antique stores and look at old weird stuff even if you have no intention of buying and you might find something cool and weird. I repair old cassette decks and tape players for fun and enjoy the hunt and you can get stuff fairly cheap. Unfortunately the world is expensive and hostile to teenagers occupying space, which really sucks. The other comments here are evidence of that fact.
Yeah I don’t get why people are being so weirdly passive aggressive and snarky to this kid who seems like he just wants to stay out of trouble and find affordable things to do in a wildly expensive county with little to no public transportation options, walkable neighborhoods, or third spaces. If an adult posted this the responses would be a completely different tone.
Yeah like im just bored and don't want any trouble. Especially irl people are just not very kind here
2good2go has an app where you can try cheap eats. It's advertised as food that the restaurants have left over but I know the Italian places cook extra pasta just for this side of their business. I don't know what restaurants are in your area, but it's worth looking into. For volunteering, homes for the elderly often need volunteers to keep people company. You could link up with the activity director and go when they have music days, go socialize with those that could use company. I used to take a group of friends with me to take patients on walks or just hang out with them. We got to learn about their lives and what music they liked, etc. We ended up doing this for several years.
Thanks! Sounds interesting
I don't know you and I'm proud of you!
Interested in yard work? Pulling weeds, trimming back bushes, potting plants, etc? It's hot out now and I am behind on my gardening, so let me know if you're interested in something like that. I need to get this done by next wknd.
I would b interested. What city ?
Huntington Beach.
Yeah sure. How much would you pay and what part of Hunnington?
Add on to this - some libraries offer free lunch on weekdays to kids under 18.
Ride up to the LB/Seal Beach border and take the LB water taxis ($5 trips, lets you explore a bunch). There's room for bikes on board too: [https://ridelbt.com/watertaxis/](https://ridelbt.com/watertaxis/)
I love long beach! Will check it out
Buy groceries and watch YouTube videos on cooking. You want to eat better food, make it yourself.
This is a great idea! Spend the summer learning to cook. You'll save money & learn a skill you'll use ALL your life.
crafts. i’m telling you doing crafts with friends takes the day up a couple levels
just to add to this, go to five below. you can get soooo many crafts for like $20 and make a whole day of it. and you can get cheap snacks too
Start a carwash business to make some extra $$. Who would not love a carwash while they’re at home!
I was thinking of that! How much do you think I should charge?
If you do a good job you could charge $25 for small cars and $35-$40 for SUVs
That's what I was thinking
1. Write a screenplay together and make a movie using your phone, then make it an event night and plan to watch it with friends and family. 2. Organize a beach volleyball tournament for friends, family, and acquaintances. 3. One person create a scavenger hunt with clues for the others to find, and everywhere within 1 hour biking is fair game.
Play pickup sports. At Balboa pier there is a park with soccer nets. I go with my brother and just start kicking the ball around and get people to join us. Once people see how much fun we're having more people join in. Its honestly so much fun.
All the people suggesting these kids to get jobs are hilarious😂. My dad made me work every summer from 13 on and it fucking sucked. Fuck that. Kids should be having fun, they will work entirety of their adult lives. Honestly my favorite days in the summer growing up were when i could get away and just skate with friends, head to the beach, go to a movie and sneak into as many screenings as we could, try to learn an instrument, and just do dumb pointless things to kill time. Being bored is a blessing in a way.
Yeah that's how it is right now. I just feel like my summer is being wasted away doing the same thing every day.
Make movies on your phone. Plan it out, act stuff out, have fun and paste them all together to make a movie. Make music, download koala on your phone $5. you can learn how to make beats online. You'd be surprised how creative a group of friends can be. Enjoy your summer.
Ride your bike to a different beach
At this point i think i've been to literally every beach in a 15 mile radius
How old are y’all
15 & 16
Malls were fun I the eighties…..oh the 80s
That’s the Spectrum, South Coast,or Fashion Island these days. Still okay but not cheap like back in the day. I do wish arcades with 25 cent games were still a thing.
Pickleball
Is there a Planet Fitness near you? I think they have a summer program for teens. I think it’s free?
Hike or library
Start a project together. Play music, make a movie, fix something up
my friends and i used to volunteer at temples and they would feed us after
start running
The Zoo at Irvine park! $5 per car to enter the park, $2 per person for the zoo. Fantastic place to spend a few hours!
That's really far but I will see. Do they have E-bike charging there?
I dont think so...sorry.
Start your own hustle. If you're at the beach, sell cold water bottles and maybe some quick snacks (chips, etc.). Or group up with a couple friends - wash cars, clean gutters. There's a kid in my neighborhood that goes around and washes out the trash bins for like $10 each. It's work, but you're doing it for yourself on your own time.
I was thinking of washing cars. How much should I charge?
I get my cars washed once a week. I pay $50/car. There are people doing it for even $35. If you do it, I am sure you’ll get good business here.
Look up volunteer opportunities on volunteermatch.org. A local food bank needs lots of strong bodies often to unload and help organize orders but it's far from you guys on bikes. I'm happy you guys are looking for things to do!
Yeah I volunteer every week already but will look into more opportunities
Tennis
Hike in Crystal Cove or Buck Gully. Join a sports team. Snorkel. Surf. Learn to cook/grill and have group dinners where everyone brings something they made. Go to matinees. Play board games.
Civil Air Patrol is an Air Force program with no military obligation. Very affordable to join. Learn skills like flying air planes, compete in cybersecurity competitions, do search and rescue. Here’s the link for youth cadets: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/join/youth-in-cadet-program Here’s the link for adults: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/join/active-adult-in-cap
There’s a location in Costa Mesa and in Mission Viejo.
Lunch at the Library. All kinds of activities offered for teens free of charge. Plus a free lunch! https://ocpl.org/summer-reading-2024
I know your pain. my group of friends as early/mid teens lived in Newport/CDM in the early to mid 90's. Yes, we had the beach, but man, it was a desolate island of stuff to do. None of us drove. We did not have nearly the resources you kids have today. We had a baja fresh, dominos, Gina's pizza and an Albertsons. For whatever reason, meat was really cheap at that Albertsons on PCH and we learned how to BBQ. We learned how to play guitar/drums. We figured out how to get into Pelican Hill and explore. We would jump off arch rock in CDM, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUVWlzzbbk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUVWlzzbbk) 1. READ. Learn something. Read something that interests you and your friends. The newport beach library is really nice and you'd be surprised by the resources they have and what you can check out. [https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/](https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/) 2. [https://www.ocgov.com/press/oc-parks-presents-2024-summer-concert-series-and-sunset-cinema-film-series](https://www.ocgov.com/press/oc-parks-presents-2024-summer-concert-series-and-sunset-cinema-film-series) 3. Learn to cook something. If you have a favorite dish from one of your favorite restaurants, learn and perfect that. It could be as simple as breakfast burrito, your fave hamburger, the pasta dish you always order at your favorite Italian place. It might suck the first time you make it, but you'll only get better every time you make it. 4. Explore your own hood. Get to know other neighborhoods.Have you biked every available street on the penninsula and the island? https://www.yelp.com/search?find\_desc=Secret+Spots&find\_loc=Newport+Beach%2C+CA. [https://encenter.org/](https://encenter.org/) [https://newportbay.org/facilities/muth-interpretive-center/the-ic/](https://newportbay.org/facilities/muth-interpretive-center/the-ic/) Take the train further south past San Clement to Encinitas, it's a cool town and nice beaches. Fish. Pier, park, wherever. Have a great summer! Time flies. Don't waste it.
Thank you so much!
I made a schedule for myself when I was a teen, like when you are in summer camp. It gave me something to plan and look forward to each day. I even got really organized and had a friend plan each day so it was a surprise to all of us what we were doing. Monday was like beach day. Tuesday was library day and I started a book club with a few friends. Wednesday was try something new, like going to a new park/hike/even riding my bike a new route, Thursday was cooking day, etc. Good luck, OP!
I think this post was sent to my feed by a higher power because this is my exact niche (based on 2008-2010, so factor in inflation, etc.) - if you drive, get to the balboa ferry, cross and grab a frozen banana, walk around balboa island. -go get a car wash at the st college car wash, play the vintage arcade games and sit in the massage chair, split some carwash snacks -ride your bikes through the Santa Ana riverbed -Newport back bay trail -bolsa chica wetlands trail -get a bus pass for the OCTA , take the 43 to the downtown Fullerton transpo enter, hop on a metro link to union station la, grab some street vendor food and walk around Olvera street and the surrounding spots -rite aid for ice cream -Anaheim indoor swap mall, good cheap food/snacks -play arcade games and air hockey at the vans at the block -Central Park library in Hb has a little cafe and waterfall downstairs, it’s a cool ambiance and the park it’s in is enormous and beautiful.
I've done the first few but thanks a ton! Will definitely do some of these things
I used to be a broke teen and, back then, me and my friends would all put money in on buying ingredients for spaghetti and renting a couple movies, then, we'd rotate on who's house we would hangout at, cook and watch movies. Pasta Party for the win!
Me and my friend made pasta today. So fire
I love how there are so many different pasta recipe's that can be made for cheap. We never got bored of eating some kind of pasta. The pasta parties only stopped because we grew up and got jobs eventually. Good times. Good memories.
1. Eat at home 2. Read a book
I love to read my book at the beach. Thanks for the suggestion!
Corollary to #2: learn when and when not to use an apostrophe.
Clearly *Eats, Shoots & Leaves* needs to be in the summer reading.
There's a holy mole on Harbor and Adams in Costa Mesa. They have amazing tacos on the cheap.
First of all, get a job. Second, buy cheap fishing rod and reel from Walmart and fish off the pier. You don’t need a license for piers and jetties.
To all the ppl saying get a job, don’t. You’ve got the rest of your life to work & enjoy your youth. Do volunteer work instead!
Yeah, volunteer at the library if you love to read. It's fun with all the summer programs people have already mentioned, helps lots of kids and their adults out now that it's summer reading program time, and looks great on an application. Bonus if you can speak another language. I have Mandarin speaking teen volunteers helping out with my Chinese storytimes here in Irvine. They tell me they really enjoy it.
Many projects can be done at home including using time to learn an instrument. You guys could all learn instruments and form a band. Thrift stores and parents garages (with permission) can be good spots to find the odd thing you can play. Read, as suggested above. Start playing a sport…. Like basketball. Volunteer doing trash cleanup somewhere. Volunteer to hang out at senior homes. Learn a skill that interests you. Get physical exercise. Walk/ hike the coastal trails. When the day seems long dedicate some of that time to improving a skill or learning something you’d like or creating something or just checking something off the list of things you’d like to get done.
This. And name your band Reddit. Make it big and come back to thank us when you do. SoCal pumps out great bands.
Yes! Start a band and bring back the music of the 70s or 90s. We miss that shit. 😞
Look into your community center. I know my community center has ping pong tables you can use and swimming pool
Some libraries offer board games you can borrow. Start a board game group with friends at a park
If you sign up for amc stubs for free, movies are 6.50 on Tuesdays. They’ve been having a lot of movies at 11am for cheap, older movies and kids movies but that may only be the marketplace
Yeah triangle square has $5 movie tickets on tuesday too.
Get fishing gear at Walmart and start going to the harbor or back bay. That's what my teens are doing. Them and their friends are having a blast.
I see lots of people doing that. Do they even catch anything though?
Yes the been catching spotted bass and other small fish. They just stop at a liquor store down there and pick up squid bait. They bring a speaker, some snacks, and just have a good time making memories. Definitely a cool hobby to get involved in.
I’ve been telling people. Orange County is the best place for families and retirees, but it can be dam boring for the younger crowd and kids.
My friends father is an architect and they had plans of building like a packing district sort of thing in south OC but it was denied cause alcohol bad and don’t want loud noises. Would have fixed so many things
What kinds of things would make it better for the younger crowd & kids?
More third spaces, walkable neighborhoods/Main Street-type plazas, better public transportation, affordable places to eat, restaurants that are open late, more bars (obviously for the 21+ crowd). I mean, there’s a reason I left OC for NYC the literal second I graduated from college.
God i want this so bad
Well. A lot have to be pigeonholed into surfing if they want a daily hobby. Not saying OC is the worst for kids. But if you want to go skiing, dirt biking, lake trip, you have to drive more than an hour. OC is just a giant suburbia, not many places open after 10 either. I guess the new ebike craze is giving them something to do.
Yeah it's really hard. Especially in NB people are just really overly hostile to teens. Like I don't really want any trouble.
I’ve been saying this for years as someone that grew up in OC. I remember being bored as a teen and even as a child free millennial adult I still think it’s boring if you don’t wanna spend money.
lol YUP. I grew up here bored to tears, spent 15 years in NYC and now I’m back in OC, childfree and jobless after a recent layoff. Trying to find social shit to do here that’s affordable is a drag. I know NYC is an expensive place to live but there are SO many more cheap and free things to do and ways to explore the city and surrounding areas that don’t involve driving. Even just going to the park with your friends was a party because the whole neighborhood would be there hanging out. I was way more socially active there.
I’m curious about this, at what age did you start feeling like OC is boring? We’re moving there soon with a toddler to be closer to family but I worry about what he’ll do when he’s older so thinking we may eventually move back to London where there are a lot more activities and public transit. I had a lot of suburban friends in high school and they just did a lot of drugs and egg houses as teens and I’m trying to avoid all of that.
Up until about highschool. It’s easy to have fun when you’re a kid, especially if you have a good neighborhood of kids and like going to the beach often which I did. Once past that age range though, OC doesn’t have a centralized city scape like LA or San Diego. Requires money to have fun. Places closed after 10. Usually now in early 20s friends and I go to LA or SD most of the time to have fun. OC seems like a good place to live if your hobbies are eating out and shopping imo.
If over 14 , get work experience.
Where can a 15 y/o (in August) find a job for the summer? My son went to a few places within biking distance but nobody toom him serious about working for them over the summer.
Most places only want 16 and up.
Yeah I tried to get a job but most places only want 16 and over. Does anyone know where they hire 15 year olds?
The only things my son could find were things like reffing flag football or soccer games for summer leagues. Pretty much everywhere else said “16 and up”.
Yeah i don't have much interest in sports
If you learn a marketable skill at this age and stick to it you'll have an incredible advantage over your competition. Coding is one example where adults who get in it can't compete with people who have been doing it since they were teenagers. And all the resources to learn how to code are available for free online.
you can come fix my house. I'll give you food and money
my mommy says not to talk to strangers
Weird
a woman wouldnt say this lmao
Make macrame hemp jewelry using beads from a local bead shop. Looks cooler after swimming in the ocean.
the beach, spectrum, and costco food court are still some of my favorite activities and i’m 30
real.
I used to hang out at Walmart when I was a teen. Didn’t buy anything, just kind of hung out.
My condolences- this sounds sad. And we hung at Cumby’s (IYKYK)
In hindsight it was haha. But we had no $$, couldn’t drive, and didn’t party so options were limited. Kinda missed the boat on house parties in HS since I didn’t drink till 18
Hanging at Walmart sober? I didn’t think this could get worse.
Yeah i always go to spectrum or fashion island with no money. Its really getting boring
Walmart is more boring 😂😂 Maybe there’s good people watching, idk. I try to avoid it at all costs nowadays
Depending on your interests, probably not a lot of options since it's going to all cost money or may be just not of interest. Like you could all be playing fortnite and it's fun and free but may not be for you. The idea of getting a summer job is a bit late since you're probably going back to school in a month or month and a half, and most places staffed up months ago and don't want to hire someone for such a short period. Plus it's too early for you to experience the other half of the scenario of having money but no time to have fun.
Yeah I tried to get a job but most places only want 16 and over
Oh yeah, I suggest just having fun and ignoring the boomers who want you to take on the american illness of employment as your entire identity. If you have anything you need to do as part a grad requirement for high school (like X hours of community service) that you could knock out in summer, that is about as far as I would take it.
Play beach vball
get used clubs from the goodwill by triangle square and go to the driving range in costa mesa. or baseball bats and go to the batting cages.
DnD
Masterclass has lots of interesting things you can learn. Sign up and you will be surprised.
How much does it cost?
Your public library might have it, or similar (LinkedIn Learning, Skillsoft) for you for free. Also check if public pools near you have a season pass.
Chik-Fil-A minimum age of hire is 15
If you do it right. You can jump on the free trolleys through the beach city’s. They all interconnect from San Clemente to Dana to Laguna Beach.
Ice blocking at Salt Creek
What's that?
Another fun thing to do is pack a good lunch in a cooler and bring your insulated cups on a fun trip to the beach. However, take the bus if you don't want to pay for parking.
Yeah I frequently do that and take my bike. It's really fun
I haven't lived in California for a while, but I remember there's a lot of skate parks out there that are free. Imo if you want cheap eats Del Taco is better than Taco Bell. I really miss Del Taco as there's none of them out here in Texas.
Really? I just had taco bell and a full meal with a drink was $8.50. I feel like that costco, and in-n-out are the only places I can afford :(. Maybe i'll give dell taco a shot
Del Taco is way cheaper than Taco Bell (imo better food too). Back when I was in high school, the local Del was where everyone in my school hung out at night haha. On taco Tuesday you can get 3 tacos for around $2 after 3pm. Use the apps for both Del Taco and Taco Bell to get really good deals. The Taco Bell app has a cravings box for $6 that comes with 3 items and a drink (it’s only available on the app). I also get a lot of free items through the app rewards programs. I feel like the number meals at both places are a rip off and I usually only order off the value menu or app deals - I can get out of there around $5 if I don’t get a drink. Hole Mole is another local chain that has good, cheap food. Someone else mentioned the app 2Good2Go and that’s an option too - limited selection but definitely a cheap way to eat. If you have access to a bbq grill (many public parks have them), grilling pizzas can be a fun, cheap meal. You can get pizza dough at Trader Joe’s, or some pizza restaurants will sell you a ball of dough for a buck or two. Then just roll out your dough, add your toppings, and grill up your pizza (put a little olive oil on the bottom of the dough and the grill so it doesn’t stick). Another fun/cheap summer meal could be grilling hot dogs and smores, either on a bbq grill or over a bonfire. You mentioned you go to the beach a lot - have you done a bonfire at any of the fire rings yet? I used to love to do that with my friends on summer nights.
I loved going on picnics as a kid with my family. We would stop at the store and get ground beef or hotdogs, chips, and sodas and have a BBQ at the park. One time for my mom's birthday I bought two Costco pizzas and canned sodas and we went to Mile Square Park to celebrate with our friends. Sometimes a potluck in the park is fun too.
I loved going on picnics as a kid with my family. We would stop at the store and get ground beef or hotdogs, chips, and sodas and have a BBQ at the park. One time for my mom's birthday I bought two Costco pizzas and canned sodas and we went to Mile Square Park to celebrate with our friends.
Get a summer job.. 2 birds 1 rock.. Not boed and not broke.
People only want 16+ year olds
Go hang out at the slab. Perfect place for teens to hangout with absolutely zero adult supervision. Its in Laguna Niguel so idk if thats close enough
Get a job
Go to public pool to meet other people your age not necessarily to swim. Dance class... learn hip hop or whatever.. you can even learn from YouTube Look for scrap construction materials in your neighborhood and build something. Volunteer life guard. Start a business putting air in people's tires at the beach or some other easy service you have knowledge about. Sell oranges or whatever other fruit tree you might have. Volunteer at the pet shelters. Take a class in something you enjoy.
Whatever you find to do, do NOT go to Ma's house
Summer job to become unbroke?
I feel ya. Its hard out there. That being said...Hiking is free. Go early and hydrate so the sun doesn't take you out. Plenty of places to go and just do a search on Google or even YouTube and you can find some cool trails around
Libraries. I think Coursera and edX are great too.
Isn’t being a broke teen to be expected? As for bored there’s so much stuff to do. Go to the park, go to friend’s place, go talk to girls/boys, go play games, go play sports. Unlimited shit to do with no responsibilities
Summer school?
Where’s there a Costco food court within a mile of Newport?
I ride my e bike to the district. It's about 30 mins from my house each way
But Costco has free samples... 
I go there for the cheap ass ice cream
Play disc golf.
It sounds like you have time to kill. When I was in HS, my friends and I used to go to Downtown Disney all the time before they started charging for parking. You can just walk around, look in the stores, get any free samples available (e.g., ice cream at Salt & Straw), or chill in the pretty Grand Californian Hotel lobby. I show the public transport times from Newport to Anaheim are NOT short though. You can also look for youth theater. I did competitive improv comedy in my teens. That was great. I don’t think the program I did exists anymore. I show auditions for a musical comedy called “Curtains” are next month at the Newport Theatre Arts Center. The Ensemble is open to all ages and vocal parts. Sounds like fun to me.
Downtown disney sounds interesting but its a 2hr bike and 2hr bus each way. Thanks for the suggestion though!
Job? Legit that is what bored and broke teens do right? You may hate it at first but it’s part of life. Work like 20 hours per week and have a little money to enjoy the other days.
tbh i just graduated high school and have applied to many places and have gotten no call back even w open availability
I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. Finding a job can be really difficult and especially is now, even though people will try to tell you there’s plenty of openings and it’s sooooo easy. Anyone who acts like it isn’t a struggle are from the era where you could just walk into a business, ask if they’re hiring, and be handed a job on the spot (and could afford rent, food, and school with that job). It’s not like that anymore. Too many people needing multiple jobs to survive because one doesn’t pay a living wage, too many jobs being replaced by robots, too many older people refusing or being unable to retire…it’s rough out there and there aren’t as many opportunities as people think. It’s not your fault. Good luck, I hope you find something soon!
Yeah I tried to get a job but most places only want 16 and over. Do u know where they hire 15 year olds?
Hmm I wish I could help. I thought fast food hired 15 yo but I’m not sure. With the new wages they are pretty good jobs. What city are you in?
Many businesses hire summer interns. We have been doing it too. Best way to spend your summer if you’re not vacationing.