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Short Statement about Hostels:

I don't think of solo-travel/hostels as a part of identity/personality, but I do think they are an awesome little hidden gem of life. As a university [or even high school] student you meet tons of cool people constantly and are always up to something and roaming around together. Being chronically online and doom-scrolling is detrimental to our well-being, and hostels offer a shockingly safe setting to mingle with other cool people who are (generally) also solo-traveling and looking for 'friends of convenience' since its more fun to have company for exploring & fucking around in a foreign city. Every so often I'll meet somebody absolutely incredible, at a rate I've never encountered in any other social setting. I now have so many contacts around the globe that I can safely rely on them rather than hostels full of fellow foreigners, but in an unfamiliar place [which has hostel culture, and good hostels] - I will always opt for the hostel experience.

Staying in an airbnb/hotel is a pretty depressing option for the vast majority of people traveling solo. Unless you have some hobbies/interests that are inherently very social, you will almost certainly end up with a tiny fraction of the 'daytime friends' you would otherwise have simply staying in a local hostel. I rarely fail to find someone enthusiastic to do whatever activity I have in mind at any given moment when I stay in a decent hostel. If you are shy/insecure and don't feel confident enough to stay in a 4/6/8-bed dorm with strangers, you can generally opt for a private room as to still make use of the facilities, common areas, and communal kitchen.

Being categorically against even trying solo-travel/hostels is pathetic, I was once a picky and stubborn child but I will continue to always be open to trying new things because it is the only way to realize whether you like or dislike a thing. I'm more than happy to speak at this at length over coffee if you are interested & happen to have received my contact from me.