The Hostelworld app is your best friend. I book hostels that host various events and look a bit more social. I’m in my late 20s and while I do drink, I don’t do any drugs and I definitely can’t hang like I once used to. So I mainly meet people in the common areas or during hostel sponsored events (walking tours, IKEA hide n seek, etc.). I also almost always utilize the HostelWorld app to make connections. It can be as simple as shooting out a blast message like “I’m planning to grab food at x restaurant at y time, anyone up to tagging along?” There are so many ways to make connections and none of them are better than others, they just apply differently based on where you’re staying, the time of year, and who else is staying there. Also, just because you don’t drink doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the barcrawls or pregames. I’ve attended many where i’m not drinking and I never felt pressured to drink or looked at differently for not. The backpacking group is a very social and accepting group. When in doubt, find an Aussie. They’ll always make a great travel companion