By Ry Dozier
When you think of a hostel, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a cheap place to stay when you travel.
But have you ever thought about how it might be to live long term in one of these places? Well, I’ll give you the full rundown of my own experience (the good and the bad).
When I first moved to Sydney I had never previously stayed in a hostel, so this whole experience was new to me. I would say I am an exceptionally adaptable person, however living in a room with five or more foreigners for the first time is never easy.
The social life in a hostel is unbeatable. You’ll never have to worry about having a boring Friday night, or cooking alone, and everyone is always willing to make a new friend. So you should be prepared to tell people about your backstory a lot.
Think of it as living on a reality TV show where a fresh cast of characters always comes through.
Picking the right hostel is also very important because, remember, you might be living there for a while.
I made the mistake of picking a bad hostel for my first time. It was dirty, unkempt, and the roommates were inconsiderate of quiet hours and privacy, so it was not an enjoyable experience.
It was only when a couple traveling through Sydney told me, “This is the worst hostel we’ve ever stayed in,” did it click with me. To be honest, I just thought it was always going to be this way no matter where I stayed.
That inspired me to pick a quality hostel for my long-term tenure, and boy did that pay off.
To find a quality hostel, you can always call ahead of a booking and check if they have daily room service and cleaning staff. If they don’t, I highly suggest you look somewhere else. Even paying an extra $5 dollars a night is so worth not having the headache of a dirty room.
So, my biggest takeaway for you would be to ensure the place you stay has a friendly atmosphere and a clean environment!
Featured image: Avoid surprises when you’re booking a hostel room. Photo: Ketut Subiyanto/CC/pexels
