For the past two weeks, Northwestern students suffered through midterms as semester schools nationwide frolicked on Fall Break. But these breaks sometimes brought a special “third roommate” to dorm rooms — as boyfriends and girlfriends descended on campus, many original roommates were stuck looking for temporary housing.

“I felt really bad kicking (my roommate) out last weekend,” said Zachary Kirchner, a Communication sophomore. “But I let him know beforehand that he couldn’t sleep in the room.”

Kirchner’s visitor’s Fall Break marked the first time the Willard Residential College occupant had an out-of-town guest.

“It was a nice, long five-day visit,” laughed Kirchner, as he adjusted the “open and closed” sign hanging on his doorknob.

For countless students across campus, Fall Break brought the single roommate’s worst nightmare: being sexiled for more than one night.

Students living in dorms — and specifically largely freshmen halls — said they saw dry-erase boards with ambiguous symbols, mysterious strangers in bathrooms and homeless singletons sleeping on friends’ couches more often than usual.

Sexiling victims said they struggled with finding new beds.

“I pretty much had to find alternative lodging for both the weekend and the weekdays,” said Pete Minta, a Weinberg sophomore.

Minta, Kirchner’s roommate, said he was forced to sleep in a friend’s room down the hall during the five-day visit.

The sexiling even kept him from his computer over the weekend — and he had a midterm the following Monday.

“It just made life a little uncomfortable and a little inconvenient,” Minta said with a sour smile.

Minta added that he suffered worse than usual sleep deprivation due to the uncomfortable quarters.

For the most part, consider that when hometown hunnies migrate to campus, it’s more considerate to avoid cramping a love-starved’s roommate’s style.

Or according to Kirchner’s advice, “This is our cue to leave, boys!”

Reach Christie Ileto at [email protected].