College is full of surprises – some fun, some stressful, and occasionally, some downright creepy. One student recently discovered something in their shared bathroom that could be a major red flag.Life as a student can be hectic. From late-night cram sessions to spontaneous dorm parties, there’s always something going on.
But in all that busyness, it’s easy to overlook strange signs until one suddenly demands your attention in a big way.That’s exactly what happened when a student spotted something odd sprouting from the wall of their bathroom. It looked unusual enough to catch their eye.
So naturally, they did what many of us would do. They took a quick photo and posted it on Reddit, hoping someone could tell them what they were dealing with.
The student captioned the image: “Found this growing in my university shared bathroom! The growth spans around 4-5 inches. Does anyone know what it is and if I will be dying ???”The photo shows what looks like several dark mushrooms growing straight out of the wall. Not exactly what you expect to see next to a shower stall.
The mysterious growth left both the student and many people in the comments completely baffled. No one had a solid answer right away.
While some users joked about it, others were more creeped out and wondered if something serious was going on beneath the surface
The person asked Reddit for helpGetty Stock Image
One person chimed in with a reference to a popular show: “This is how The Last of Us s*** starts.”Another user came up with a spooky theory: “The missing student on campus who was never found 5 years ago.”
Someone else, trying to be helpful, suggested turning this odd situation into a learning opportunity, writing: “Call the biology department and let them have a first go at it?”
Eventually, someone with knowledge in the field gave a more serious and informed response and it wasn’t exactly reassuring.One Redditor explained: “Mcology nerd here. The mushrooms (ink caps) themselves aren’t going to hurt you by being around them, but what this means is that you have severe and extensive water damage in your walls.”
They also pointed out that the mushrooms are likely the visible part of a much larger fungal network. This hidden system, called mycelium, could be slowly eating away at the interior walls, making the structure weaker and more vulnerable over time.
The user posted about their bathroom findReddit/xXDANK-MEME-LORDXx
They went on to urge action with a clear warning: “You need to immediately contact whoever is in charge of this building and let them know that you have extensive water damage. Unfortunately, by the time mushrooms fruit, it often means tearing out large sections of wall.”So, is it something to take seriously?
Unfortunately, yes—it absolutely is.
According to advice from Advanced Damp, a company that specializes in damp-proofing mushrooms appearing inside a building are usually a big indicator that there’s a serious moisture issue going on.Too much moisture can wear down structural elements like drywall and wooden studs. This doesn’t just lead to mold or mildew, it can eventually weaken entire walls if not dealt with properly.
While the student may never know exactly what caused the problem, one commenter offered their take: “Best answer. I think either massive flooding, a pipe burst and his wall is shot, or theres no waterproofing in the shower stall closest to this. The wall will have to be ripped out.”
They added their own theory, suggesting a variety of causes: “Or something insane I’m not thinking of involving constuction by contractors who should be in prison or a fraternity doing something goofy, or some combination thereof. I don’t really get how this could happen.”
