Staying overnight at a friend's house

There are basically two types of people: extroverts and introverts. For extrovert people who love to express their feelings, sleeping over at a friend's house can become a moment of celebration. However, for the introverted ones who wish to stay anonymous by keeping their thoughts to themselves, spending a night with a friend can become a nightmare.

No matter which category of people you fall into, it is safe to say that a night out with a friend is a tricky business. The phenomenon of staying overnight with a friend has its pros and cons.

For some people, sleepover means tasting freedom. Most boys and girls are brought up amid family restrictions, and the air becomes suffocating, especially for the young generation who want new experiences and adventure. Staying within the confines of their little apartments all the time makes their lives boring and repetitive, and this is where sleepover strikes a chord. It gives young people an outlet to vent their feelings, break away from their everyday shackles, and experience life's multidimensionality.

That's why sleepover is so popular among the Millennials and Gen Z, boys and girls in their 20s. However, not everyone wants to leave their comfort zone and spend a night at an unknown place, not knowing what to expect. There are a growing number of boys and girls who feel that they are being a burden on the hosts of a sleepover.

As mentioned above, sleepovers can be unattractive for those who are introverted and talk less. With nothing to talk about and no experience to share, these people think they ruin the atmosphere whenever they stay out with a friend.

Thus, many boys and girls stay away from sleepovers, citing reasons of uneasiness and discomfort.

Maruf Rahman, a Research Assistant at an NGO, is such a person. Asked about what he thinks about sleepovers, he replied that he dislikes spending a night at a friend's house.

"I've tried to give sleepovers a try but it didn't click. Whenever I'm at a friend's house, I feel like I'm interfering with the personal space of another person. I have to monitor my activities constantly, and I have to think twice before saying or doing anything. Besides, I feel like I'm disturbing the other members of my friend's family by being an outsider. For these reasons, I refrain from staying out at night," Maruf said.

However, this is not the case for Farhan Hossain, a student of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University. Passionate about rock music, Farhan views sleepovers as a way to explore new music with his like-minded friends.

"Whenever I'm sleeping over at a friend's house, my activities mostly revolve around listening to those music that me and my friends like. Besides, we also play various instruments and our sleepovers sometimes turn into jamming sessions. Sleepovers have been very productive for me, as I've created some songs of my own through jamming with my friends during those night outs. That's what I love about staying over with my friends," Farhan said.

Farhan's experience resonates with Tahmina Akter, a Content Writer at a Digital Marketing Agency. As she loves cooking, a sleepover at a friend's house allows her to try new dishes.

"To me, a sleepover means a new experiment with my cooking skills. My friends act as my customers, taste my dishes and give me honest opinions. I have a large friend circle, and I've stayed over with a lot of them over the years."

"As a result, I've cooked many dishes and received numerous reviews. These reviews have strengthened my confidence, and I'm considering opening a restaurant soon. Sleepovers have been beneficial to me personally, and I'd love to have a lot more of them in the coming days," said Tahmina.

Till now, we've only heard about the experiences of young people. But what about their parents? Don't they get worried when their children don't come home at night? Don't they get afraid of what their sons and daughters might be doing with their friends?

The answers to these questions have been gloomy. Rehena Akter, a housewife and mother of two, provided glimpses of the dark side of staying out at night.

"Usually, I don't give my children permission to stay with their friends at night. I'm always worried about what they are up to if they don't come home. The time is bad and my kids are young, so there is the chance of bad companion. I've heard from my relatives that teenage boys and girls do drugs when they gather and spend nights together. That's why I remain extra vigilant on my children so that their life may not be ruined due to mixing with their wasted friends," Rehena said.

In a nutshell, there are various viewpoints from where one can see sleepovers. We can't deny the benefits that one can get out of staying over with friends, and we can't deny the chances of them going wrong. If boys and girls remain careful in choosing their sleepover partner and remain alert in maintaining boundaries, sleepovers can become a fun and productive activity. Millennials and Gen Z just need to be cautious about whom they're spending their nights with, and everything will be fine.

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