Have I ever told you the time when I shared a flat with a music student? Let me tell you the tale of the Queens flat.

Ok picture 18 years old me, feeling frustrated with my sixth form college. I couldn’t get into the course I wanted, so I was forced to take a different course. On top of that, I had girls trouble, just a couple of girls who weren’t that nice to me. So overall I didn’t enjoy sixth form college.

It was at that time, that I met my husband. We both worked at the same Saturday job and the first time I met him he was on a Pogo stick. I kid you not. Our eyes met and it was love at first sight. Ok maybe not. But after the pogo introduction, we became good friends.

To cut a long story short. We soon became more than friends and we ended up being girlfriend and boyfriend. Anyway, while I was feeling completely frustrated with my sixth form college. Richard, in fact, has finish sixth form and was taking a gap year before uni.

To cut an even longer story, or otherwise, we’ll be here all day. His gap years ended and it was time for him to go off to uni. We both decided that there was no way we were going to break up, we were having way too much fun.

Now being a typical ‘teenager’, I was having parent angst. You know, the feeling when you just outgrow your parents (sorry mum and dad) and just want to be free. Live life to your own term. I’m pretty sure everyone gets that feeling.

When Richard went off to uni, he has an agreement with his mate that they would share a flat together. So is the teen angst and because we were having way too much fun. I came along for the ride.

So yes, I ended up living in a flat with Richard and his mate for 2-3 years. Richard studied Digital Art and photography, while his mate was a music student. So a creative bunch.

So what was it like sharing a flat with your boyfriend and a music student?

A lot of fun.

It was at that time, I discovered I adore Mexican foods. We would have midnight Ravioli and fried bread. There was also midnight gaming season and of course cocktail hour.

The music student, Tom (not real name) was cool. He was a bass player and actually played in a band. He was also a HUGE Queen fan. So there was Queen music from morning to night.

Our flat sharing time was in Ealing which is in west London. A lovely part of London and I still have fond memories of going around the area exploring new things. I also just had fun walking around it shopping centre and going to the local cinema.

When my sixth form college ended, I decided to take a break from studying. But once I moved into the flat, I went back to college and did a course on Photoshop and web designs. I also still had my weekend job so I did end up going back home to parents over the weekend.

Was I ever tearful about leaving home? No, not really. I went to a boarding school so I was used to not being at home. My parents were sad that I left home and moved to a flat. But if I was feeling down in the dump, which did occasionally happen. I would get a hug off my boyfriend and the flatmate would just play ‘we will rock you’. Once again, I kid you not.

My first time away from home, I was lucky and just came along to an already flat-sharing agreement. The music student didn’t mind me coming along. He thought I was cool, even though I brought all my teddy’s with me.

Once Richard finishes uni and graduated. We soon split and though no fault –we just headed in a different direction.

We didn’t have much money and didn’t really want to move anywhere else, so we ended up going back home to our parent’s place till we could figure out what to do next.

To end the story, Richard and I after living at parent’s place for two years, eventually got our own little private flat. Thus ending our flat sharing experience.

While we had a lot of fun sharing a flat with a music student. I still can’t listen to any Queens music without thinking of him. Hence why I dubbed it, the Queens flat.

Would I ever flat share again? No. just because, well we are old and our time being a student and flat sharing is over. We like our own space and our place is home to us.

Though I do know people are not in the same position as me, so are still looking for flat sharing.

If you are in that position and are looking for a place to share with. Then let me show you Ideal Flatmate. A great website I wished was around when I was younger, as it essentially showcased any flats that are available for sharing. So simple put in a location and the website does all the hard work for you. The website will have clear photos of the flats, along with how much the rent is. If you’re interested in a place, simply get in touch with the website and it will put you in touch with the person who put up the listing. And then take it from there.

So yes, that was my tale of the Queens flat. Do you have any flat sharing story to share?

(Written for Ideal Flatmate)