Upstairs vs. Downstairs

I've been in shelter long enough that it's about time I write my thoughts on the differences between the two shelters. For those of you who are just coming in on the blog or don't remember there are two (technically three) youth shelters in the same building. The downstairs shelter is for youth in crisis. This is the first shelter you go to. The next shelter is in the upstairs part of the building. This is where your stay is extended beyond the crisis moment. You have a guaranteed slot every night in the same bed for x amount of months or until your case manager or rule breaking kicks you out.

The differences between shelters look like this:

Downstairs:

*Have to stand in line for your bed each night. First come first serve. Each night you get a different bed.
*No responsibilities.
*Only punishment for rule breaking is being kicked out the shelter for X amount of days.
*No storage. You must take all your belongings with you when you leave. You can keep only what you can carry.
*Opens 8:45pm and closes 8:45am.

Upstairs: 

*Your bed is completely reserved. You do not have to wait in line for it. You have until 9:30 to buzz up. If you don't make it by 9:30 you can buzz up until 10:30 but you are considered late. 

*If you do not buzz up it is considered a night out. 

*You can have late nights and nights out approved by your case manager.

*You must do a chore every night.

*There are credits  called "nonuses" these are earned by attending house meeting, doing extra chores or dishes, being in shelter a consecutive 5 days or serving food.

*Nonuses are taken away when someone breaks a rule, does not come up until after 9:30 or stays out a night without having it approved by a case manager. 

*You can trade in a nonuse for not doing a chore for the night.

*If you end up in the negative nonuses you must do extra chores or you will lose your bed.

*You will lose your bed for violating the "BLA" rules that are the same for downstairs.

*You have a locker to store your belongings. You can also leave stuff on your bed. 

Which I like better...

is hard to say. I like the staff downstairs a million times better than the staff upstairs. They have a lot more personality and spunk. People downstairs are a lot more social than those in the upstairs. I like that downstairs is a lot more laid back and accommodating. However, things upstairs are a lot less stressful. I actually don't mind the chores because I was always taught that everything in life is earned and I like doing dishes which has a lot of perks. All in all I don't know which one is better or worse. Some nights I looove being upstairs; others I would rather be downstairs with my peeps.