upworthy

Heather Wake

His face is all of us after that first summer job paycheck.

Call it a rite of passage, a baptism by fire, or simply a necessary evil, but a terrible summer job is pretty much a staple of young adulthood. Those concert tickets aren’t gonna pay for themselves, after all. Some summer jobs are heinous by the sheer amount of manual labor involved. Others are just plain weird. I remember one year working as a “live strolling table.” Yep, just walking around attached to an elaborately dressed table offering hors d'oeuvres and champagne. A human-furniture hybrid. How do you put that on a resume?

No matter the role, there is one thing all summer jobs have in common: They teach us humility in one way or another … especially once we see that first paycheck. There’s simply no way to prepare for seeing two weeks worth of hard work equate to a (usually) paltry sum. Hopefully that experience alone makes generous tippers of us all.

worst jobs jimmy fallonResponsibility. Yay. Giphy


Jimmy Fallon recently asked people to share their own “funny, weird, or embarrassing story about a bad summer job” as part of his iconic #hashtags challenge.

Here are 15 that might make your own summer job memory feel a little less dreadful:

1.

“I planted trees for the US Forest Service one summer in HS. Our foreman would go through our lunches, eat our cookies and chips, and take bites out of our sandwiches. We were all about 15 so too afraid to tell.” – @dumpster_diva

2.

“One summer I worked at Taco Bell during lunch and Furr’s cafeteria during dinner. People would see me at both and ask if I was twins.”– @kerrikgray

3.

“As a young comedian I was hired to MC an event for a furniture store. The owner paid me 5 bucks for every time I would fake trip and fall on my way to the mic. He said he was a 3 stooges fan.” – @Brentfo4242

4.

“I applied for a job while in high school at a toy store. I called back days after the interview asking if they had any news for me. They told me I got the job, and they forgot to tell me. They had me scheduled for that day and was told ‘you’re late.’” – @RockerSam91

5.

“In high school, I worked at an insurance agency...let’s just say the bus ride to and from work was the best part of the job.” – @SharonZurcher

6.

“In high school I worked at a bounce house company. My first day working was an elementary school field day and the huge inflatable slide starting deflating and collapsing with kids at the top…angry parents staring at me like I had an answer for this at 16 years old.” – @calamari_carly

7.

“In middle school my friend and I got paid to fill, lick and seal about 500 envelopes with documents for a lawyer - a penny per envelope. 3 hours later, we asked for 2 cans of soda from his cooler. He said sure, and took $2 each from our pay. We made a dollar.” – @CameronFontana

8.

“I worked at a dog kennel. A guy brought in 2 dogs to stay a month. He told me to give a pill every morning to dog #1. So, I did for the month. When he returned, I brought out dog #1 and he said, ‘Hi, dog #2!’ My face turned so red. Oh, well. The dog survived.” – @TheTomeWebster

9.

“I babysat identical twin boys where one constantly screamed and got into mischief but potty trained early while the other was quiet, well behaved but always blowing out diapers. They never did anything ‘identical’. I'm shocked that I still wanted kids after that!” @overbaughs

10.

“Worked at Crumbl in high school. One coworker had the exact same shifts as me, and she was a theater kid. Like MAJOR theater kid, was cracked out 24/7, randomly performing theater at work. I am not proud to say I memorized 10 Shakespeare monologues because of her.” – @itstherealmeboo

11.

“I held human hearts with a white cotton glove during open heart surgeries, so they didn’t ‘slip’.…No pressure! That’s why l am now a planetary medium and asteroid deflector. Much less stress.” – @rosamalvaceae

12.

“I worked for a local sweet corn farm. I had to sort the corn into boxes for their stands around the state or local grocery stores. It came off the truck onto a conveyor belt by the 1000s. I literally saw thousands of corn cobs in my dreams at night.” – @jdianemiller

13.

“In high school my mom got me a job working with the city to clean an island in the local lake that ducks lived on. Everyday I had to fight a duck, and everyday I needed a bandaid after getting bit by a duck. It was a nightmare and I still hate ducks 30 years later.” – @KingSergioS

14.

“Hired at an amusement park for the summer, taking summer college classes at the same time…Show up for my 1st day to a supervisor who says ‘Oh, the girl who didn’t show up!’ Proceeds to show me the previous week’s schedule where I had 40 hours during my class time. He rolls his eyes when I explain and gives me every crappy task he can find....

jimmy fallon hashtagsGiphy

...I left after the 2nd day, never picked up my check, but kept my employee ID & got in for free all summer!” – @trixiebelle47


This article originally appeared three years ago.

Pop Culture

The 'Wardrobe Test' can help determine if your partner is a right fit

Is your partner a "cozy hoodie" or a "raggedy t-shirt"? This could be a sign.

We all need tricks to get out of our heads and listen to our gut once in a while.

It might seem reckless to base major life decisions off of kitschy little thought experiments, but there is something to be said for finding simple ways to get out of mental analysis and really tune into what our gut is telling us.

This seems especially true when it comes to relationships. People swear by things like “the bird test” and the “two beers and a puppy test,” and even the less cutesy “TSA pre-check test” for determining whether or not a partnership is really meant to last. While all of these are different in their own way, the commonality is that they encourage the querent to get real about whether a potential significant other will share their common interests and values in the long run.

Perhaps it's just my love of fashion, but as far as relationship litmus tests go, I’m a particular fan of the “Wardrobe Test,” which was recently presented by relationship expert and author of How To Not Die Alone Logan Ury. And actually, it’s not so much that it involves clothes, but that it’s instantly enlightening.

As Ury explains, the Wardrobe Test has you ask yourself: “If my partner were a piece of clothing in my closet, what would they be?”

“Sometimes people tell me ‘My partner is an old sweater that I used to wear but now itches me,’” Ury says in the clip. “Or ‘My partner is a raggedy t-shirt that I wear to the gym but I don’t want to be seen in.’ Obviously those are not good signs for the relationship.”

On the flip side, Ury says that people have also responded with “my partner is my favorite pair of pants that I wouldn’t have bought for myself, but I wear to music festivals and I love them,” which is undoubtedly a much better sign.

Ury assured that this method works because “Sometimes I think people get so in their head about should I be in the relationship, should I not be, and sometimes a question like that just gets them into their gut and when they say it they know what they need to do.”

Thinking about my own relationship, my answer was “a comfy hoodie that instantly makes me feel at home.” Turns out, several folks had similar answers in the comments.

“I immediately thought ‘a really cozy warm and thick sweater’ I think that’s a good sign lol”

“My partner would be the coziest, softest hoodie that’s two sizes too big for me but fits like a hug that I wear every day right after work.”

“Right away I thought ‘a warm pair of fuzzy winter socks’ — the ones you wear unashamedly even though they’re a little dorky bc they make you feel cozy and you couldn’t make it thru a season without them.”

"My partner is my favorite hoodie that I keep adding patches to with each new adventure. I love to show it off and wear it whenever I can, otherwise I still and admire it when I can’t wear it due to the weather."

"He's a cozy sweater that i never want to take off"

There were also plenty of equally lovely, not hoodie/sweater related ones as well.

“I’m currently six months pregnant and don’t have many things left that fit me but when she said this I thought straight to this one dress that fits perfectly. It’s comfortable I can wear it anywhere. It’s the kind of thing I would’ve worn before getting pregnant and I’m so happy that it still looks good while pregnant and there’s no negatives about it. I don’t ever seeing myself get ride of it, even when it starts to fall apart.”

“My favourite yellow sweater . Brightens my day, makes me feel confident and cozy all day all the time without fail💛"

Photo credit: Canva

“I said my belt that I swear everyday that I get a lot of compliments on. Like that was my first thought and I have no idea what that means but I love my belt.”

“My first thought was a light jacket. I never forget it, I’ll always bring it with me “just in case”, and it’s sincerely a staple that I always appreciate. I never wanna get it dirty either because I picked it due to signs of longevity. After thinking about, this also describes my partner in a way. Very reliable and I picked him because he had good signs that our relationship would last long. I also wanna protect our relationship more and more.”

"I thought of my favorite band shirt which I wear out of the house, to sleep, around the house, basically any time it's clean I wear it. If I can get away with tucking it into a skirt for a semi dressy dinner I will. And when it goes in the laundry I know it's time to do laundry."

“I said bra because he lifts me up and supports me.”

Photo credit: Canva

A clear common denominator is that these “clothing items,” i.e. patents, offer a sense of comfort no matter what occasion, upliftment, support, and something that only becomes more cherished over time, despite any wear and tear. Which honestly makes a lot of sense.

Alternatively, there were some…not so great responses.

“My Alo yoga sweatpants bc they weigh me down.”

“My therapist did this with me but instead we used furniture! If your partner was a piece of furniture in your house, what would they be? Mine was the acrylic chair I never sat in. It’s very uncomfortable and painful to sit in after a while”

While this fun little question won’t provide all the answers, it might be a good place to start if your current relationship feels murky.

Recording Academy/Instagram, Warner Bros. Classics/Youtube

The most perfect mash-up in existence.

Long before Chappell Roan, there was another badass redhead who knew her way around the stage and owned both her glamorous and campy side. And that gal was, of course, the late, great, Lucille Ball. And while the two sadly shall never actually meet, thanks to the power of the Internet we have a pretty incredible collaboration nonetheless.

Before her I Love Lucy days, Ball worked as both a chorus girl in New York and on film, her most prominent film project at the time being The Ziegfeld Follies, shot in 1945. In one of the film’s iconic musical numbers, titled "Bring on The Beautiful Girls,” Ball enters on a white stallion, donning a gorgeous pink showgirl costume (made all the more dazzling in technicolor) then moves about gracefully and even cracks a whip to unleash a gaggle of ensemble dancers dressed as cats. They sure don’t make movies like they used to, right?

With all of these details—primarily the horse and the abundance of pink—it’s no wonder that someone thought to pair it with Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” which just so happened to also feature a horse (albeit a giant fake one) during her live Grammy performance. What is surprising, however, is just how well the two things mash-up together.

Watch the video, shared via Instagram:

Wow, just wow, right? This is a perfect blend of great editing know-how (thanks Peter Zachari) and stars aligning to create something magical. It’s kind of hard to watch this and not be instantly infused with joy.

“That was literally everything I needed right now!” one person wrote. While another said, “Is it terrible that I have watched this 10 times in a row. Absolutely love this you did amazing.”

Besides being amazing ear and eye candy, it reignited some fan love for Ball as well.

“Oh my god this is LEGENDARY. I’m old enough to remember Lucille Ball and she absolutely kicked ARSE in so many ways-fully called out misogynists ON CAMERA, was partly responsible for Star Trek becoming a cultural phenomenon & was immensely funny. This is one of the finest collabs to have ever existed. Pure dopamine, thank you…”

“RIP Lucy, she would have loved scheming to have Chappell perform at one of Ethel’s benefits.”

And in case you’re curious, here’s the original footage of "Bring on The Beautiful Girls,” with even more whip choreography.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

As well as Chappell Roan’s "Pink Pony Club” at the Grammys, swapping whip choreography for lasso choreography, and rodeo clowns instead of cat dancers.

By the way, Zachari actually has all kinds of cool edits on his Instagram page. That’s probably a good palace to start for some fun visual escapes.

Pop Culture

Airbnb host finds unexpected benefits from not charging guests a cleaning fee

Host Rachel Boice went for a more "honest" approach with her listings—and saw major perks because of it.

@rachelrboice/TikTok

Many frustrated Airbnb customers have complained that the separate cleaning fee is a nuisance.

Airbnb defines its notorious cleaning fee as a “one-time charge” set by the host that helps them arrange anything from carpet shampoo to replenishing supplies to hiring an outside cleaning service—all in the name of ensuring guests have a “clean and tidy space.”

But as many frustrated Airbnb customers will tell you, this feature is viewed as more of a nuisance than a convenience. According to NerdWallet, the general price for a cleaning fee is around $75, but can vary greatly between listings, with some units having cleaning fees that are higher than the nightly rate (all while sometimes still being asked to do certain chores before checking out). And often none of these fees show up in the total price until right before the booking confirmation, leaving many travelers feeling confused and taken advantage of.

However, some hosts are opting to build cleaning fees into the overall price of their listings, mimicking the strategy of traditional hotels.

Rachel Boice runs two Airbnb properties in Georgia with her husband Parker—one being this fancy glass plane tiny house (seen below) that promises a perfect glamping experience.

@rachelrboice Welcome to The Tiny Glass House 🤎 #airbnbfinds #exploregeorgia #travelbucketlist #tinyhouse #glampingnotcamping #atlantageorgia #fyp ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

Like most Airbnb hosts, the Boice’s listing showed a nightly rate and separate cleaning fee. According to her interview with Insider, the original prices broke down to $89 nightly, and $40 for the cleaning fee.

But after noticing the negative response the separate fee got from potential customers, Rachel told Insider that she began charging a nightly rate that included the cleaning fee, totaling to $129 a night.

It’s a marketing strategy that more and more hosts are attempting in order to generate more bookings (people do love feeling like they’re getting a great deal) but Boice argued that the trend will also become more mainstream since the current Airbnb model “doesn’t feel honest.”

"We stay in Airbnbs a lot. I pretty much always pay a cleaning fee," Boice told Insider. "You're like: 'Why am I paying all of this money? This should just be built in for the cost.'"

Since combining costs, Rachel began noticing another unexpected perk beyond customer satisfaction: guests actually left her property cleaner than before they were charged a cleaning fee. Her hypothesis was that they assumed she would be handling the cleaning herself.

"I guess they're thinking, 'I'm not paying someone to clean this, so I'll leave it clean,'" she said.

This discovery echoes a similar anecdote given by another Airbnb host, who told NerdWallet guests who knew they were paying a cleaning fee would “sometimes leave the place looking like it’s been lived in and uncleaned for months.” So, it appears to be that being more transparent and lumping all fees into one overall price makes for a happier (and more considerate) customer.

These days, it’s hard to not be embittered by deceptive junk fees, which can seem to appear anywhere without warning—surprise overdraft charges, surcharges on credit cards, the never convenience “convenience charge” when purchasing event tickets. Junk fees are so rampant that certain measures are being taken to try to eliminate them outright in favor of more honest business approaches.

Speaking of a more honest approach—as of December 2022, AirBnb began updating its app and website so that guests can see a full price breakdown that shows a nightly rate, a cleaning fee, Airbnb service fee, discounts, and taxes before confirming their booking.

Guests can also activate a toggle function before searching for a destination, so that full prices will appear in search results—avoiding unwanted financial surprises.


This article originally appeared two years ago.