<p>I'd like to switch my bio lab partners... we weren't assigned to them, but we just kind of all randomly paired up based on who we were standing next to, and that is who we are supposed to be with for the next 4 months. She doesn't do any work, and when the lab instructors come around to verbally test us, she doesn't answer any of the questions, so I'm always trying to like give her hints because we're graded jointly! She also smells bad (seriously, isn't college-age a little old to not be showering regularly?). I'm upset about the whole situation. She also has a very thick accent, so I can't understand her. </p>
<p>How should I approach switching partners? Is that a common thing to ask for?</p>
<p>Could it be that she doesn't do much or answer questions because she is not very proficient at English? She might not know what's actually going on and is afraid to ask.</p>
<p>And the smelling thing, well...can you tell when you smell? Cause I can't.</p>
<p>If your not comfortable switch right away don't wait to long.
Trust me you don't want to end up doing bad on account of someone else. This isn't about being nice this is about your GPA.</p>
<p>You may find they will not let you change. At my daughters college they were assigned lab partners for freshman biology. She got 3 real duds and was not allowed to change as the learning to work with others was considered part of the process. They were expected to work it out. </p>
<p>It was frustrating for her as well as most of the grading was also group grading. In the end she ended up having to take charge and she would plan the labs and assign work to the other 3 which worked out well enough that she ended up with an A (2 of the group dropped the class). You may find you will just have to find a way of making it work. Or they may at the very least expect you to make an attempt to make it work.</p>
<p>She's actually just lazy because when I try to ask her some questions and explain things to her, she'll look away or be scribbling in her notebook or yawning and saying "let's hurry up so that we can leave early." I'm spending MY time doing the TEACHER'S job trying to teach her these things because she just shrugs her shoulders and couldn't care less. It is utterly unacceptable, and if they won't let me switch, it's an issue that I'd bring up with the Dean. Just thinking about it actually makes me really ****ed off.</p>