Letting your friends crash at your place is no biggie if you have the space to spare. Thirty percent of Americans say they host overnight guests in their homes at least a few times a year. But there are good guests and bad guests.
This woman wanted to stay at her friend's for a few nights, but the couch wasn't good enough. She expected the friend's roommates to give up a room so she could have "more privacy" and feel more comfortable. This situation became a cautionary tale in overestimating your friend's hospitality by expecting them to bend over backwards.
A woman agreed to let her friend crash at her place for a few nights
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
But the friend expected one of her roommates to give up their room for her
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: HappyXAmeliaGrace
Houseguests should adapt to their host's house rules and circumstances
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
Friendship means helping each other out in a time of need, and hosting a pal overnight is not such a big deal. In fact, most Americans say they like (41%) or even love (20%) having overnight guests, such as friends or family, according to a YouGov poll.
But there is another side to the coin of letting people crash at your place. When Joybird asked Americans who the worst houseguests are, 26% said it's usually their friends. The three biggest sins they commit are:
The friend in this story hasn't even arrived at her friend's apartment, but is dictating her rules and disrespecting the friend's roommates. A house guest, according to certified etiquette trainer Mariah Grumet Humbert, should be flexible.
"Remember that you are entering someone else's space," she emphasizes. "They may do things differently in their home than you do in yours. You don't have to compromise your needs, of course, but be mindful of respecting the way your host and their family function inside the comfort of their own home."
In the end, the host is doing their friend a favor. If the conditions of the stay are not satisfactory, a person can always stay at a hotel. Comfort and privacy will be guaranteed!
A guest should make themselves almost invisible and cause as little inconvenience as possible
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
Hotels or Airbnbs are not always an option for people. Staying at your friend's can be a great way to save money, but you'll have to keep in mind that you might need to sacrifice some things. For example, privacy and comfort were so important to the lady in this story.
Travel reporter and founder of the Map Happy blog Erica Ho has some advice and rules for couch surfers.
People in the comments called out the entitled friend: "With friends like these..."
