Later this month, I will be sharing a cabin on the north side of Lake Tahoe with 11 friends, plus one baby and two dogs. That’s 14 souls sleeping all under the same roof! Even though I’m expecting it to be tons of fun, and even though I live in a pretty big city where there are zillions of people everywhere and I can practically reach out my arm through my apartment window and shake hands with my neighbors across the way, I’m just not used to sharing such close quarters with so many people. And while I enjoy the company of everyone who I’m going with, I’ve got to be honest. I’m a bit wary of sharing living space with so many people in such a concentrated dose.
I’m used to being able to shut my door and have quiet when I want it (albeit often with sirens wailing in the background), and I’m used to waking up and leaving my apartment on my own timeline. I’m not used to crying babies and dogs running around and people who like to get up early on the weekends—even if they are all my friends.
I’ve been to Lake Tahoe in fall (girls getaway) and in winter (ski resort) but never in the height of summer and I’m looking forward to warm daytime temperatures and lots of time spent outdoors, which means that during the day, we won’t be spending that much time in the cabin. Instead we’ll be hiking and picnicking by the lake. This should help ease the pressure of having so many people staying in one place.
In an attempt to make things run smoothly, we’ve given out meal assignments (I’m in charge of Friday dinner, and Saturday we are having a macaroni and cheese cook-off a la the Iron Chef) and activity assignments (my friend Amie is in charge of rafting, for example, and has already given hints about a possible alligator-shaped floating device).
Beyond that, I’m wondering if anyone has any survival tips for me on how to travel with a large group. Any surefire tips and tricks to ensure that everyone is happy and getting along?
Comments
Aug 04, 2009
My biggest tip is to break off into groups of no more than four or five if at all possible. Trying to get that many people out the door or at the table is hard enough, but trying to get a unanimous vote on anything is a waste of time.
Avoiding too much separation is a worry, as people may feel left out, so switch groups as many times as you can. Be like the atom, and bond both freely and frequently.
Aug 06, 2009
Drinking alcohol may help, along with taking advantage of the fine weather outdoors with the whole group and various subgroups.
Aug 07, 2009
Bring a sleeping bag, a sleeping pill, and watch the beautiful sunrise on the lake.
Aug 10, 2009
Take your MP3 player and amile a lot.