How Should I Handle a Classmate's Hygiene Issue?

[bballwaterboy]

maybe he is allergic to showers. that's his medical condition

If he's not taking showers and it's affecting you and others' ability to concentrate and perform in school, then you have a right to get him to leave I think. It's unfortunate that a college student, who seems to be smart, would allow his hygiene to get to that point. But, it doesn't mean others should have to suffer from it in a way that hurts their education.

Nevertheless, I think it could still be a medical condition. I have met a woman who had a medical condition that emitted a foul odor. There was little she could do about it other than cover it up with perfume. It wasn't that bad, but occasionally when a blast of air blew through you would catch a scent of it.

I felt sorry for her, but didn't make a big fuss about it. She was nice and the odor wasn't that bad (although noticeable). I think everyone else around her also just dealt with it by sucking it up. If it was very bad, though, I might have done something.

Just keep in mind that sometimes things like this aren't the other person's fault. It could be a medical condition.

 

[Student100]

Don't sit near him? That seems like a pretty obvious solution.

This whole thread is basically a one sided perspective on something that could be rather complex. Perhaps the student works right before class at some crappy job shoveling cow manure, and that's why he stinks. Perhaps a million other things. Your observations of his steam account (really?) and that he appears to wear the same clothes (are they really the same, or does he just own 10 different grey shirts?) aren't enough to strictly say he's doing it because he wants to irritate people, or that he has some problem.

There were times when I went to community college in which I had spent the entire day sweating my butt off at work, and basically had 20 or so minutes to get to class on time after. There was no time to shower, and even though I changed clothes, I know I smelled rank. No one ever said anything, but I would have been quite angry if they had.

The adult thing to do in this situation is to be an adult, don't sit near this student. If that's unavoidable, grow a thicker skin and realize odors can't actually harm you.