If you’ve ever spent a significant amount of time backpacking, you’ve probably met that kind of traveller who never showers or changes their clothes. And while everyone is entitled to live their life however they choose, there are some of us who would like to change their clothes each day, even when we’re travelling around and staying in hostels. Sometimes you go out for a long hike and get all sweaty, sometimes you want to get ready for a night out, or maybe you just want to show off your style to your new travel buddies. But where is the acceptable place to change your clothes in a hostel dorm? Do you rip your clothes off in the middle of the room and expose yourself to everyone else in the room? Probably not, even if you’ve been doing yoga all winter and want to show off your new-and-improved beach body. You may be asking yourself why I would choose to write an article about this, it’s so obvious! And while I agree with you that it should be obvious, you would be astonished at the amount of strange behavior I have witnessed in hostels in regards to changing. So, here it is, your guide to proper hostel etiquette when it comes to changing your clothes:
Don’t strip naked in the middle of the dorm
Some of you reading this may be thinking, Of course I would never strip naked in the middle of the dorm. But then there are also probably some readers thinking, I am comfortable in my body and I deserve the right to change my clothes wherever I please. For me, if someone decides to strip naked in the middle of the dorm and have a full-on conversation with the person in the bunk next to them (which is something I have actually seen someone do in a crowded dorm), it doesn’t really bother me. I just won’t look. However, I am aware that not everyone has an easy time dealing with this sort of behavior. It is important to remember that in a hostel setting, we are all sharing the same space and so we must be respectful of other people’s boundaries in order to make it work. This means that although you may be perfectly comfortable changing everywhere and anywhere, and maybe you do that at home, when you are staying in a hostel you may have to change your behavior to accommodate for the wishes of others. And I don’t think it’s too much to ask to change your clothes in private, Mr. Guy Who Flaunts It All Over The Dorm.
Find some privacy
So we’ve established that it’s not cool to just change in the middle of the dorm room. Then where is it acceptable? Every hostel will have some sort of private place for going to the bathroom. So while a toilet stall may not be as luxurious as your wardrobe at home, it is still a better place to get changed than the middle of the dorm. If you’re taking a shower before getting changed, bring your clothes with you and leave them within arm’s reach of the shower along with your towel. This way, you can dry yourself off and put on your clean clothes inside the shower, and come out looking fresh, clean, and clothed! Even if you aren’t taking a shower and just feel the need to put on something new, the shower is a fine place to get changed. Just make sure you don’t put your dry clothes on a wet floor.
Changing in bed?
Changing in bed in a dorm room is totally acceptable. Many dorm beds have curtains that you can close to create your own little private space for changing. These curtains are also great if you want to do some reading or watch Netflix in bed late at night without disturbing the other guests. But can you still change your clothes in bed if it doesn’t have a curtain, or is that taboo? The answer is that it’s still acceptable to change in your bed even if there’s no curtain, but just do it under the covers. No one wants to see your naked body trying to pull your pants up on your bottom bunk. Get under those sheets and you’re good to go.
The bottom line when it comes to changing your clothes in a hostel dorm is that although you may feel completely comfortable undressing in front of other people, it could make other people feel uncomfortable. Respect other people’s boundaries and change your clothes where it’s appropriate.
Check out the other article in our hostel etiquette series, Hostel Etiquette: Alarms!