Bunking: Eliminating Social Anxiety by Honing in on Trust and Safety

There are a variety of factors that may contribute to anxiety when embarking on a new adventure. According to mental health America, 15 million or 7% of American adults suffer from social anxiety that can lead to isolation.  Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, and so much more. People that are socially isolated are less able to deal with stressful social situations, and have more difficulty processing information and making decisions. 

How does Bunking create a safe environment? 

A major concern amongst digital nomads and lone travelers alike is knowing who they are sleeping next to. Oftentimes in a hostel, you have no idea who you’re sharing a space with. Bunking eliminates the anxiety that comes with sharing a room with someone you don’t know by allowing you to sift through a sea of profiles until you find a compatible match. 

Unlike booking a stay in a hostel, or couch surfing with a stranger, you will be able to move forward with ease knowing that you have the power to choose who you stay with based on comprehensive user profiles and trust and safety standards. 

Our team has worked hard to implement several specific features and tactics that help keep you safe. These include offering background checks, criminal checks, credit checks, peer reviews and recommendations, destination safety scores, and the ability to build out thorough user profiles. Profiles can be referenced when booking a stay with another BunkMate so you know exactly who you’re staying with prior to your stay. 

How does Bunking help me reduce my anxiety when sharing a space with others? 

Not only does Bunking make it possible for you to choose who you’re staying with, but there are also a variety of additional features that help eliminate the anxiety that comes with shared living. On Bunking, each collective group of people are chosen strategically by a Host. These groups of people can be referred to as a BunkingPod and can refer to each other as BunkMates and each BunkMate is chosen based on their profiles and level of compatibility. 

When you join a Pod, you will be able to join confidently knowing that this collective group of like-minded people are hand-picked by the Pod Host. Rules, expectations, and guests are all predetermined and set before your stay. 

Can I meet my fellow BunkMates prior to arriving at the BunkingPod? 

We have a unique chat feature called the PodChat that enables all Bunkmates to communicate prior to the start date of the BunkingPod. When a Member is added as a fellow BunkMate, they will automatically be added to your shared PodChat. This feature eliminates the anxiety that comes along with socialising and meeting someone new for the first time. 

Let’s get back to the basics

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has impacted the way in which each one of us live our lives. We’ve distanced ourselves and lost touch of what really matters. Built on the premise of connectivity, Bunking is making it possible for people from all around the world to get back to the basics of human-to-human connection. Developed with an ambitious goal of connecting like-minded people from all around the world, Bunking aims to streamline human-to-human connections through shared living experiences that are backed with intuitive technology. 

Interested in learning more about how our team is working towards eliminating anxieties that come with embarking on new adventures? Check out our recent piece on the Bunking Beta Project- where we gathered a group of complete strangers to collaborate, co-live, and commingle for an entire week.