More drama than an episode of Eastenders

When university halls were full I opted to lodge rather than live with other students. Big mistake.

"Keep it down" whispered my landlady hoarsely as we shuffled under the dining table. But the banging on the front door only got louder and more aggressive. If she can't see us she'll soon get bored and go away.

But who was this person sending us threatening messages through the letter box? She was the wife of the local pub landlord who my landlady had been sleeping with for the past 6 months or so. She'd decided to ceremoniously and very drunkenly announce this fact at the end of an epic drinking session in said pub. Ever since the wife had been after her blood. "If it gets worse I'll call the police for harassment." For some reason this didn't really reassure me.

It didn't take me long to realise that not only did my landlady have a lot of drama in her life, but she also wasn't that keen on having a lodger. He soul motivation for letting me rent the room was to help pay her mortgage. This meant she was constantly on my case - whether it be about people staying over, washing not being put out on the line straight or leaving one clean plate on the drainer - I couldn't win.

But it's fair to say it was a character building experience and gave me the confidence to think - could living without an adult around really be that bad? I definitely had an easier time sharing with fellow students in year 2 and 3. No matter what drama my friends brought home with them, it was never on the same epic scale as in my very first home away from home.

Published on 23-Mar-2016

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