How to Be a Hostel Douchebag

Checking in

You’re probably tired at this point, so head to your room and make yourself comfortable. Dorm rooms are tiny, so put your luggage on the bed next to yours to get some extra space. Unpack everything on another bed.

When you’re done it should feel just like home.

How to win friends and influence people

It’s time to get social. Grab a few drinks and find a group of people to chat with in the common area. Share your stories and experiences for an hour or so. If someone tries to talk about themselves, switch the conversation back to you.

Don’t share drinks, but do talk about your trust fund. Make sure to invite yourself to tonight’s party and slap everyone on the back really hard before heading over to the kitchen for a feed.

In the kitchen

One of the best parts about hostels are the shared kitchens, allowing you to eat on the cheap so you can travel longer (read: spend more on booze).

This is your chance to shine and make everyone jealous of your four-hour, slow-cooked, Jamie Oliver-style Peking duck recipe. And don’t worry if you’re missing a few ingredients — they’re called shared kitchens for a reason, so help yourself to the fridge. Some stingy bastards put their name on food items, so why not swap them around. Everyone loves a good prank.

Leave the dishes for tomorrow; it’s time to Skype your friends back home.

Douchebag Wi-Fi etiquette

Hostels worth their salt usually come with at least one computer and a public Wi-Fi network. Hit two birds with one stone here and torrent the last three seasons of Breaking Bad while video-chatting with your friends.

If the network slows down, complain to the staff and threaten to write a really bad review on TripAdvisor. I mean, who doesn’t have broadband these days?

The after-party

Clubs close early in some places, so take a cue from Great Gatsby and sneak some new-found friends into the dorm for late-night drinks. If you can’t find anyone to join you, just turn on the lights when you get back and shout everyone in the dorm a drink.

In bed

Backpacking means plenty of opportunities to get lucky with people from all over the world, and life is short. If you meet someone significant, don’t miss the chance to invite them back to your room. People will understand. If you’re a couple, this applies to you too.

If you missed out on the international wheel of fortune, always sleep naked — you never know when opportunity could come knocking.

Leaving in style

Early flights and buses are par for the course on the road, and you likely won’t have time to pack the night before. Make sure to have a crinkly bag of chips to down in your room before packing up to leave. Subtly wake people up to say goodbye by repeatedly opening and closing the zippers on your backpack, and demand to exchange emails and Facebook accounts.

Before you leave, blow-dry your hair and sanitise the room with liberal amounts of perfume as a last touch to remove any odors from the night before. If you don’t have perfume, hairspray or deodorant will do.