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.
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 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.
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?”
One Redditor explained: “Mycology 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.
So, is it something to take seriously?
Unfortunately, yes—it absolutely is.
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.”