Classmate who smells awkward moment

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a personal experience of dealing with a classmate's body odor in a classroom setting. Participants explore social dynamics, personal feelings, and potential responses to the situation, with a focus on the implications of body odor in interpersonal relationships.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses discomfort with a classmate's body odor and reflects on their decision to move seats, feeling guilty about the situation.
  • Another suggests a humorous approach of printing out a relevant thread to address the issue indirectly.
  • Several participants discuss the biological aspects of body odor, referencing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and their potential implications for attraction and compatibility.
  • Some participants humorously propose exaggerated responses to signal the discomfort, such as growling or biting, while others caution against making the classmate feel insecure.
  • A few share anecdotes about past experiences with individuals who had strong body odors, noting that such traits do not necessarily correlate with intelligence or capability.
  • One participant raises the idea of computers that can detect smell, introducing a technical perspective to the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on how to handle the situation, with various opinions on the best approach to communicate discomfort without causing embarrassment or insecurity.

Contextual Notes

Some participants emphasize the importance of personal feelings and social dynamics, while others introduce biological and humorous perspectives, leading to a multifaceted discussion without clear resolutions.

  • #31
Ask in a non crazy way and I would be honest.

LOL! It's just my personality.

But I actually do make sure to put deodorant, perfume and not wear something I wore without washing it. Plus, I'm a girl, so I naturally smell good anyway. :-p
 
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  • #32
Femme_physics said:
I told him today. Yes, I also told him that I like him but that I smelled a bad smell at tuesday's class that I thought was coming from him and that's why I moved. It was kinda awkward and embarrassing, he was unsure what to say, got a bit defensive and told me he's always putting on the deodorant. I wasn't really sure what to say back. "I'm not sure what it was, I just had to move." I said. Though, I'm sure it was him and he's in denial. He did say eventually "I appreciate your honesty."

Suffice to say, it was a really short and awkward conversation and I didn't sit next to him that day or spoke to him that day. Damn it. But, it had to happened I guess...


(Funny thing though, someone moved away from ME at the break! I immediately went up to him and went "what the hell? do I smell bad?" and then I sniffed my armpits lol. He was like "god forbid of course not! There's just too much chattering in that area"...)

I think it's a good thing that you approached him about it.
Apparently he didn't know yet and he really should know.
Also, I believe it's important to not just tell him and walk away, but to give him a chance to digest it, and by taking the time to listen to him and talk about it, you also show you care, and that you don't reject him as a person.

Sounds like you did right! :cool:

[edit]Just keep the chattering down will you? :wink:[/edit]
 
  • #33
I like Serena said:
Sounds like you did right! :cool:

We won't know without smelling a guy next month.
 
  • #34
I like Serena said:
I think it's a good thing that you approached him about it.
Apparently he didn't know yet and he really should know.
Also, I believe it's important to not just tell him and walk away, but to give him a chance to digest it, and by taking the time to listen to him and talk about it, you also show you care, and that you don't reject him as a person.

Sounds like you did right! :cool:

[edit]Just keep the chattering down will you? :wink:[/edit]

Thanks Serena! :) I really appreciate your feedback.
 
  • #35
Borek said:
We won't know without smelling a guy next month.

@FP: will you let us know if he smells like roses next time?
 
  • #36
LOL I feel kinda embarrassed to sit next to him now, and I'm still slightly worried he might smell tbh :P
 
  • #37
You don't have to sit down, you can sniff him just walking around. Dogs do it all the time.
 
  • #38
Femme_physics said:
LOL I feel kinda embarrassed to sit next to him now, and I'm still slightly worried he might smell tbh :P

It would be nicest if he came up to you, saying he's worried that he smells, and asking you if he does (he might smell like roses :shy:).
 
  • #39
LOL! Unlikely. I'm pretty sure I've burned a bridge for life. Oh well.

Oh, and trust me, he's not the only guy who deserves a notice about it in my class. I'll just make sure to stick next to ones who either smell good or don't smell. Made me appreciate my perfumes all the more.
 
  • #40
I've worked in an office once for half a year.
When I came there we were taken along to the mess.
On the way, the guy who took us, took us just for fun through a wing of the building that really stank of some perfume. Apparently a woman worked there that used way to much perfume, and not a particularly nice one either.
He explained that she'd been working there for over half a year, and that apparently no one ever told her that she used way too much perfume!

Either way, I was not so brave as to walk up to her and tell her, but during the half year that I worked there, I never went into that wing again! However, we could smell, even passing that wing by, that she still worked there!
 
  • #41
Well, if you'd gotten to know her a bit would you have told her?
 
  • #42
Femme_physics said:
Well, if you'd gotten to know her a bit would you have told her?

I'd like to think that I would have.
I guess it would depend on my impression of her, that is, how open she'd be to listen to anyone.
I suspect she wasn't open at all for such things, because I can't imagine that no one was ever willing to tell her.

[edit]Actually, I knew someone at college as well that really stank. But this was a guy that grew a large unkempt beard and who had dirty hair. It never seemed worthwhile to tell him that he stank, since he obviously didn't care how he looked or smelled. Now if I would have been a pretty woman, I might have had more impact ;).[/edit]
 
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  • #43
Femme_physics said:
LOL I feel kinda embarrassed to sit next to him now, and I'm still slightly worried he might smell tbh :P
:smile:
 

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