Stinky Student..

[Cloud 9 with bells on!]

I did some searching on the board and I couldn't find an answer. There is a student in our class that has VERY poor hygiene. I'm not talking about a little sweat or a little BO from that day. It is BAD. His breath is so bad that people can't sit around him anymore and those that do are breathing into their jackets or sucking on mints all day in order to mask his smell. He covers about a 5 foot radius because he breathes through his mouth. His body odor when he gets on the table is TERRIBLE. I can feel the grease in his hair and on his body from not bathing. After I'm done with him, I smell him on me and have to go home to de-funk myself.

I swear I'm not judgmental and I'm not blowing it out of proportion. This is something I just can't handle. The thought of having to work with him makes me sick to my stomach. I don't want to go to the director, but I don't know what else to do. I like this guy, but I'm angry that he's put me in this position by not cleaning himself at all. How do I handle this tactfully? We have to see each other for the next 4 months and I don't want there to be an awkward tension, but I'm seriously considering going to night classes to avoid him. I really don't know what to do. Does anyone have any input on how to handle this tactfully with the least amount of embarrassment for all involved?

 

[Brack_871]

Stinky Student..

Well, this isn't an easy situation, on the other hand, given where and how you are coming into contact with him, it seems essential to bring it up. I would talk to the director, it's part of their job to make sure all the students are grooming themselves in a manner appropriate to the environment. In addition, this guy isn't going to be a very successful MT if no one wants to be near him, so it is certainly in his best interest to inform of this. It doesn't need to be done in a mean or unprofessional way, but I would let your director handle it.
Good luck!

 

[Cindy D]

Stinky Student..

... make sure all the students are grooming themselves in a manner appropriate to the environment.

What great wording... Wish I were so eloquent!

 

[Nick A. Please]

Stinky Student..

This is the kind of thing that gets me fired up, because it is yet another example of how low (and inconsistent) the educational standards of many massage schools have become. Our profession is held back and undermined by such an appalling lack of professional standards within the educational experience.

Discuss it frankly with the instructors and school administration. They need to set a standard and stick to it, or they are communicating that they simply don't care about teaching any kind of professionalism. If this guy wants to be successful, he needs to learn consistent and sufficient professional-level hygiene and grooming. It's not up to you how it gets handled, but don't stay silent. The longer this goes on, the more it will continue to negatively impact the learning process for everyone present; you did not sign up for massage school because you want to spend your class periods fighting nausea.

The school I attended would have given this person an ultimatum within the first week: clean up or get out. Appropriate dress, nails trimmed, no B.O., no obvious scents of any kind, appropriate footwear and professional demeanor... these were all non-negotiable parts of the curriculum, particularly in the hands-on classes.

If this massage school is unwilling to take a stand with this student (to the detriment of his and all of his classmates' educations), then you (and all your classmates, including the smelly guy) are in the wrong bloody school.

 

[203]

Stinky Student..

It's totally appropriate to request that your instructor give a lecture on professional appearance and appropriate personal care, and grade students based on their adherence to those standards. I once got marks off on an assignment for wearing wrinkled scrubs. I never did that again. Any student who can't pass their professionalism grade isn't going to be moving on to the next semester anyway ... at least in a school that actually cares.

Kat

 

[Pompal 09.]

Stinky Student..

Thank you for the responses.
We had a lecture the first day of class. What to wear, no smoking on campus, proper hygiene, etc. They even suggested bringing several shirts and changing throughout the day to stay fresh. He even said, "IF you are the stinky person, everyone will know, and everyone will talk. Don't be the stinky person!" etc etc.

As far as them being unwilling to take a stand, I think that's where the problem lies. I was told by someone else in our class that our Swedish instructor discussed his hygiene with him SEVERAL times. I'm not sure if she wasn't blunt enough or didn't follow through, but it DID NOT work.


I have not discussed it with the director, yet. I told one of the new instructors about the problem on Thursday and she said that if he were in the night class (he didn't show during the morning class), she would send him home that evening. Tomorrow, he will probably show up during the day and that same instructor will be there. If she didn't address it Thursday, I'm sure she will tomorrow. If it continues to be a problem, I guess I'm going to have to disconnect the personal feelings and do what is right for all of us. Part of me feels like the nicer thing to do is to tell him to his face, part of me feels like he should KNOW that showering daily is a requirement, part of me feels like the staff should have addressed it and followed up on it before now. I'm very torn.

I'm climbing my way to the top. I've alerted the new instructor and if she doesn't fix it, I'll go talk to the assistant director, and if THAT doesn't work... I'll have a meeting with the director. One thing is for sure, I've thought about it enough that I'm at the point where I refuse to work with him.