Living in a Hostel for the First Time: Tips for Travelers

Hello traveler!

While exploring your country of choice during your placement, you’ll probably want to do some travelling. And with travel comes the big question: where are you going to stay?

Hostels are a great and cheap way to find accommodation, and in countries with lots of travellers, it will never be hard to find affordable hostels where you can stay. If you’re living in a hostel for the first time, it can feel a little intimidating. So this is a tips-and-tricks guide to help you better understand hostels and prepare for your journey.

Getting accustomed to shared living:

Whether you have siblings or still live at home, you may already be used to having people around you. But life in a hostel can take shared living to a whole new level.

Depending on the hostel, there may be only a few travellers around or a lot of people staying at the same time. Either way, shared living comes with some adjustments.

The Kitchen: If you like cooking, you will experience sharing a kitchen with 10 or more people at once. This can make cooking a little more difficult. If the kitchen feels too crowded, you can try to adjust your cooking time to a later or earlier time when there will be fewer people in the kitchen.
The Bedroom: You’ll also need to get used to sharing a room with other people. Depending on your room type, you could be sharing with anywhere from 4 to 10 people. Most of the time, the people you will be sharing a room with will either be nice and friendly or practically act like a ghost, so sharing a room won’t be as bad as you might be expecting. People in hostels genuinely have a nice mindset. Many are travelling, exploring, or working abroad just like you, so it can be easy to adapt to this new lifestyle.

Taking Advantage of the Hostel Experience:

Every hostel is different, and many offer more than just a bed, depending on the hostel, there will be a variety of activities.

Amenities: Some hostels will have pools with lounge chairs surrounding them, others will have pool tables, or cinemas. Taking advantage of these advantage is important to get the full experience of where you will be staying. It’s also a great way to relax after a long day of exploring.
Local Knowledge: Many hostels offer tours or general information about the surrounding area. You should most definitely check these out, as they could provide you with the information to better plan your stay, if you had travelled without a detailed plan. Hostel staff and other travelers can often help you find hidden gems, cheap activities, and safe areas to explore.

Managing your belongings and security:

When living in a shared space, keeping your personal items secure is essential for peace of mind. Most hostels provide lockers or storage cages under the beds, so it is highly recommended to pack your own sturdy padlock. Keeping your passport, electronics, and wallet locked away when you leave the room ensures you can explore the city without worrying about your valuables.

Mastering hostel etiquette:

Living in close quarters means small actions can make a big difference for everyone in the room. Being a good roommate comes down to a few basic rules: avoid turning on the main overhead light if you are coming in late or waking up early (use your phone flashlight instead), pack your bags the night before if you have an early checkout so you don’t rustle plastic bags while people are sleeping, and always clean up after yourself in the communal kitchen immediately after eating. A little respect goes a long way in keeping the hostel vibe positive for everyone.

Drifter and Little Drifter:

Drifter is one of the few hostels that I have very few complaints about. Having stayed at multiple locations in both Australia and New Zealand, I found the brand maintained a consistent image across almost every branch I visited.

The staff at Drifter were nice enough to at least leave an impression on me, very welcoming and most of the time, they were people staying at the hostel longer term and would be able to talk to and build friendly relationships with. Most locations will have clean rooms and be larger than the average hostel. Speaking of the rooms, Drifter has something that will always be a big thing in my eyes: the privacy curtain. I cannot stress how important this was during my travels. Having curtains lets you have a great deal of privacy. Drifter goes a step above, as it usually has fully enclosed capsules. Having your own space was amazing; even in a shared room, you felt like that space was yours.

Take advantage of what events are going on, as it is a great way to meet people and make connections, which is very important if you are a solo traveller. Drifter provide a comfortable, consistent stay while allowing you to get a foothold in shaping your experience

Final Thoughts on Living in a Hostel

Hostels can feel intimidating at first if you’re not used to them. But in reality, you will be spending time with the most accepting people you will ever meet, as everyone would be in a similar situation to yours. If you have any questions, just ask someone who is staying there; it will help you get a sense of the environment.

Ultimately, communal living is all about respect, flexibility, and stepping a bit outside of your comfort zone. By embracing the shared spaces, using the free amenities, and practicing a few basic hostel etiquette, you will not only save money but also likely walk away with lifelong friends and unforgettable stories. Hostels are great, and hopefully this will help you be better prepared for your stay at one.

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