Don't be a jerk in a foreign country! Unwritten rules of hostel rooms.

There are general norms of behavior that most of us respect and more or less adhere to. However, did you know that there are things you should never do? Especially inside hostel rooms. Some of them might surprise you.

I'll get straight to the point, no beating around the bush. Drawing from over a decade of experience as a regular visitor to various accommodation establishments, here's the number one rule: LIGHTS.

This might not apply to you, as I believe you don't fall into this category. Yes, I'm talking about chronic light switchers. They simply enter a room at any hour and boldly turn on the lights. They don't care that there are five other people sleeping around them. They only think of themselves, oblivious to the fact that their karma might come in the form of an irritated 220-pound rugby player as their roommate.

But as I mentioned before, that's not something you do. You are kind and respectful towards your temporary neighbor.

Number two: PERFUME

There's nothing worse than the stench of the cheapest "air fresheners" made by children somewhere in China at the ungodly hour of 8 AM. It's a smell that could wake up the dead. Both men and women in the vicinity douse themselves in liters of it, creating an etheric assault on the nose, an aromatic explosion that forces you to hide your head under the blanket, breathe through your mouth, and hope that you don't run out of air under that blanket. Your body temperature rises. You start fully waking up.

Tip: Apply perfume in the hallway. Leave your wardrobe open and return the perfume to its place after application, quickly leaving the room. (The smell spreads, don't forget!)

Number three: PLASTIC BAGS 

They rustle. Yes, they rustle. And they will rustle even if you handle them slowly. Slow manipulation is even worse because the sound emerges slowly, gradually. It's as if the item inside the bag is slowly falling. Gradually. Naturally, you become alert, and sleep is gone. A separate chapter belongs to those individuals who have multiple bags. It's truly a hilarious sight. One rule states that the sought-after item will always be found in the very last plastic bag. The high-pitched tone of non-biodegradable plastic affects your brain just like the rustling of banknotes when it's time to collect your benefits. It's guaranteed to wake you up!

Tip: Grab the bags quickly and leave the room. Close the door and only then start your search expedition.

Number four: CLOSED WINDOWS

Stuffy and warm. Who cares that there are eight other people with you? You might think that the room has air conditioning. Well, it does, but you won't realize that it's only recirculating the stale air from the room, releasing it back among you. So in the middle of the night, you have cold air in the room without oxygen and a stench reminiscent of a monkey pavilion. Not so pleasant.

Solution: Before settling in, check if at least one window is open.

Well, that's about it for now. I could mention coins dropping on the floor, hushed conversations that make you think the mafia is plotting against you, the constant zipping and unzipping of various zippers, but I won't keep you any longer.

Wishing you a wonderful day and safe travels.

This article was published in the Czech language here.