Britt Jones
Going to college often means that you’ll be experiencing new things every day, but one student found out something that could have potentially dangerous implications.
From parties to study groups, it’s a busy time being a student.
Sometimes, we just don’t notice things, or if we do, it’s only when symptoms have become too obvious to ignore.
So, when a student looked in their bathroom and found what appeared to be something growing against the walls.
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So, as one does, they immediately snapped a photo of the offender and posted it to Reddit to get some answers.
They wrote: “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 ???”
In the picture, you can see what appears to be dark colored mushrooms lining up against the wall.
To the student and many commenters, the cause of the mushroom growth was a mystery.
Some believed that it signified the end of times, while others had more morbid thoughts.
One person commented: “This is how The Last of Us s*** starts.”
Another theorized: “The missing student on campus who was never found 5 years ago.”
Someone else decided that the original poster could use this to further the education of others on their campus, writing: “Call the biology department and let them have a first go at it?”
However, the answer was finally revealed…and it’s not a good thing.
One user stated: “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.”
The person went on to explain that ‘the mycelium of the fungus (a very fine rootlike structure that actually composes of the majority of the organism, just out of sight) is having a field day eating away at your walls as they rot from the inside’, which could lead to the walls breaking down.
Finally, they suggested: “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 true?
Well, yes.
According to Advanced Damp, a waterproofing and damp-proof business, the presence of mushrooms is often a key sign of excessive moisture.
This moisture can weaken building materials such as wood and drywall, leading to rot, mold, and mildew, which also compromises the structural integrity of a home or building.
Whilst the student will not know the cause of the water damage, someone speculated: “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: “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.”