Danish Students Refuse to Shower After Gym Class

Ascar Ashleen

Freelance Writer

February 28, 2026
7:48 am

A Danish high school has installed private shower stalls in its changing rooms after students stopped bathing following physical education classes. The initiative at Nykøbing Katedralskole addresses widespread discomfort among young people about showering in open facilities, a problem affecting 43 percent of students nationally.

Private Shower Stalls Address Student Concerns

Nykøbing Katedralskole has introduced enclosed shower stalls in response to students avoiding post-exercise bathing. The change came after the student council identified the problem and requested action from school administrators.

Student Initiative Drives Change

Former student council president Anna Lilly Andersson Hansen explained that many students simply were not showering after physical education. The open shower arrangement created enough discomfort that hygiene suffered. School officials listened to student concerns and made modifications to the changing room facilities.

The new stalls provide privacy for students who previously felt exposed. Andersson Hansen described showering as a personal activity that many students prefer not to do in front of classmates they do not know well.

Multiple Classes Share Facilities

The discomfort extends beyond single class groups. Students noted that multiple classes often use the changing rooms simultaneously. This means young people find themselves showering alongside students from other classes with whom they have no established trust or comfort level.

Maya Christiansen, a student in second year, described the situation as boundary crossing. She emphasized that the presence of unfamiliar classmates makes the bathing experience particularly uncomfortable for many students.

National Data Shows Widespread Problem

Research from the Center for Youth Studies reveals that 43 percent of students in upper secondary education avoid showering after physical education classes. The problem at Nykøbing Katedralskole reflects a broader national trend affecting young people across Denmark.

Body Image Concerns Drive Avoidance

Thea Natasja Halling Jensen, a student at the school, explained that fear of judgment drives much of the avoidance. Young people worry about what peers think of their bodies. This anxiety proves strong enough to prevent basic hygiene practices.

The concerns reflect pressures from social media and retouched images. Students face constant exposure to idealized body types that do not match real human diversity. This environment heightens self-consciousness during situations that require nudity.

Educational Value Versus Student Wellbeing

Majbrit Berlau, general secretary at Sex og Samfund, acknowledged that seeing diverse real bodies has educational value. Young people benefit from understanding that bodies vary naturally. However, she emphasized that this value disappears when students experience anxiety all week before physical education classes.

Berlau supported the school’s decision to prioritize student comfort. She noted that solutions should respond to student needs rather than forcing exposure that causes distress. Schools must balance developmental goals with mental health considerations.

Multiple Factors Contribute to Bathing Avoidance

The reasons students skip post-exercise showers extend beyond body image alone. Practical concerns and social dynamics within classes also play significant roles in student decisions.

Practical and Social Barriers

Berlau identified several contributing factors beyond body image issues. Poor cleaning standards in some facilities discourage use. Insufficient time between classes makes thorough showering difficult. Some students face unhealthy social dynamics within their class groups that make shared bathing uncomfortable.

Schools need to address these various factors comprehensively. Installing private stalls solves privacy concerns but may not address time constraints or cleaning standards. A complete solution requires examining multiple aspects of the education environment.

Need for Broader Body Image Education

Berlau called for systematic work on body image awareness among children and young people. Schools should implement proper educational modules that help students understand and contextualize the impact of idealized media imagery. These programs should be integrated into regular curriculum rather than treated as occasional interventions.

The work must help young people develop critical thinking about the images they encounter constantly. Understanding photo manipulation and selection bias can reduce the power these images hold over self-perception.

School Officials Hope for Increased Hygiene

Principal Morten Pape Nielsen stated that the school installed the shower stalls because the student council expressed clear need. The administration aims to ensure that more students practice proper hygiene after physical activity.

Student-Driven Solutions Prove Effective

The decision to involve students in identifying and solving the problem demonstrates effective school governance. Young people understand their own needs and concerns better than administrators might guess. Listening to student voices produces solutions that actually address real problems rather than perceived issues.

This approach aligns with democratic principles that characterize Danish education. Students learn civic participation while schools benefit from accurate information about student experiences and needs.

Hope for Changed Behavior

Students expressed optimism that the new facilities would change bathing habits. Halling Jensen hoped that classmates would use the stalls and feel more comfortable showering when they can do so privately. The success of the initiative depends on whether privacy alone resolves the various barriers students face.

School officials will likely monitor usage patterns to determine whether the investment produces the desired hygiene improvements. If successful, the model could spread to other schools facing similar challenges with student bathing avoidance.