Couch Surfing 101: Setting up your profile (2022)

Most of us are quite familiar with being asked to set up profiles online. How we respond to those requests often depends on why we are using the particular website. Online shopping apps, for instance, ask you to set up a profile containing information that they will use to flood you with offers they feel will appeal to your particular demographic. Many of us don’t even bother with anything except a username and a password.

With our social media apps, we may put in a bit more time. We may use our real name. We add a picture, our age (often required), and perhaps a couple of details about where we live, where we went to school, and our relationship status. Some of us choose to keep this information private, which is our right.

When setting up a profile for a couch surfing website such as Couchers.org, however, it is good to remember that this platform is built on trust. Staying with or hosting strangers from another country or culture requires a level of assurance that the person you are engaging with is someone you wouldn’t mind being with in close quarters.

Required information

Obviously, for Couchers.org to work for everyone, it requires certain details to promote confidence in the platform. Some of the necessary details you will be asked are:

• Username
  • Whether you use your real name or an alias, keep it appropriate and remember it will be the first thing people see about you.
• Email address
  • This serves as your point of contact where you will receive notifications of messages, requests, etc.
• Date of birth
  • Be honest with your age. This isn’t a dating site.

First impressions matter

Your profile will usually be the first introduction that a prospective host or couch surfer sees. Here are some important items that you will want to have filled out to give a good impression:

• Profile picture
  • A picture of your face, not hiding behind sunglasses, is best.
• Your current area of residence
  • This helps to set your time zone within the site, lets you know of events in your area, and gives any prospective surfers an idea of where they’ll be staying. NOTE: you do NOT have to put your actual address, only a general location.
• Personal pronouns
  • Couchers is inclusive of all, with choices of pronouns: he/him; she/her; they/them; something you choose; or leave it blank. (NOTE: this can only be changed by an admin once set).

After this, if you wish, you can let others know if you are able to host or to meet up when they visit your area. You can tell them where you’re from, as many of us are living in places far from where we grew up. Your job or education can be included.

Let them know the real you

Don’t let those things define you, however. The next part is where you can really let others know who you are. You can write as little or as much as you want about why you use Couchers.org, what your goals are, and interesting travel stories.

Tell other members about your hobbies, what types of entertainment you prefer, countries where you have lived or traveled, and languages you can speak. There’s space for you to write any other information that you feel is important about yourself. These are the items that really tell the story of who you are. It also allows for others to find things you may have in common and start a better conversation.

Hopefully you’ll find these suggestions helpful as you begin the amazing journey that being a member of Couchers.org can offer.

Any more questions?

Head on over to the Couchers.org forum and ask! The couch surfing community is one of the most friendly and open there is, and people will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

Written by Bob. Published on 2022/08/30

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