Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern, my name is Patrick Burke, I am a 2nd year student and am planning to major in political science. I am writing this appeal with the hopes of voiding the failed classes on my academic record (PHIL 151 (F 2021); GPHY 101, HIST 104, HIST 109 (W 2022), POLS 110 (FW 2021/22); GPHY 101, HIST 105, HLTH 101, PHIL 157 (F 2022)). Since the 2021 Winter Semester, both my mental health and academics have gone immensely downhill. My mind was constantly fogged, I could not leave my bed despite proper hours of sleep, and I could not focus without excruciating anxiety. This led to me failing almost every single course in the Winter semester. Filled with guilt and embarrassment, I decided not to tell anyone about my struggles and attended the 2022 Fall semester with hardly any changes. Eventually the constant lying to my girlfriend/my parents caught up to me, and my truth was revealed. Since then, I instantly spoke to Spring Forsberg, she helped my parents and I see the light at the end of the tunnel. After therapy, bloodwork, several doctor appointments, and being diagnosed/medicated for ADHD, I have returned to Kingston in January of 2023 with a completely different outlook on life. I have done practically perfect academically in the 2023 Winter semester, and with my support systems in place, I aim to stay at this level and demonstrate why I belong at Queen??s University, rather than being on probation.

My mental health issues started almost immediately once course work picked up in my first year (Fall 2021). I was seventeen at the time, and I was at West Campus with not a single friend on my floor/building. Being away from friends and family with several assignments due, I began to feel isolated. It was my first time in 2 years of schooling with a legitimate course load-most of my junior/senior years in high school was online due to COVID-19, which tanked my work ethic. Rather than seeking help, I dropped a course I was not interested in, and thought my issues would go away on their own. Obviously that did not happen, I began to fully neglect the lectures/assignments in PHIL151: Great Works of Philosophy. I could not handle 4 courses at the time, but I was scared of dropping another course and being labeled as a ??bad student?. My mind fully blocked this course out, and it was crippling to lie about my grades in it to friends/my family/my girlfriend. My biggest regret is not speaking out once I was given a 0 for this course. I held that disappointment in, and subsequently it internalized a 5 month long stretch of harsh depression and anxiety. The singular failed course set off my entire trajectory for the upcoming semester.

In the 2022 Winter semester, I failed every course I was enrolled in besides FREN107 and ECON112. The biggest hardship from failing these classes, was me failing POLS110B. Since it was a 2 semester course, I was awarded 0 credits, and it fully derailed my hopes of becoming a political science major. Once I received my grades back on solus, I instantly broke down in tears and called my girlfriend to explain everything. She was extremely accommodating, and attempted to help me dig out of this hole. Her and I went to a walk in clinic, and I was instantly prescribed Lexapro by the doctor. I told him I believe the root of my issues was ADHD, but he insisted that the Lexapro should help me.

Coming out to only one person and starting a drug without any proper bloodwork/follow ups were the only changes I made coming into the 2022 Fall semester. Right after the 3rd week of class (around the same time as 1st year), the exact same issues came into play. I could not think straight and instantly stopped attending all my classes/did not hand in any assignments. To my surprise, the Lexapro seemed to work backwards and made me numb to all feelings/self pride. While this anxiety/guilt would make most people burst, I just turned 19 so I was able to distract myself with constant alcohol consumption, and smoking cannabis whenever it was available. My girlfriend noticed that I became a shell of my former self, I was recklessly drinking/smoking and never did any schoolwork. She logged onto my ONQ to find out I have not completed a single assignment. She called my parents and told them everything, even my usage of drugs and alcohol which I also lied to them about. That day they drove 4 hours to Kingston, picked me up at my house, and we returned to my home.

As painful as that day was, the second my parents hugged me and told me they still loved me, I felt as though I was finally waking up from this horrible lifestyle of lies and suffering. After hours of talking, hugging, and crying, everything was on the table, and I made it my goal to right all my wrongs. Within weeks of being picked up from school, I spoke to Spring Forsberg with my parents, I got diagnosed with ADHD and started medication, I started working with a therapist regularly, and I also began my sobriety journey.


Almost immediately after I got home, I spoke again with the doctor who prescribed me Lexapro. I was very persistent, and further explained that it will take more than an antidepressant to ??take-back? my life. From there, he referred me to a doctor who specializes in ADHD amongst teenagers. After meeting with Dr. Crysler, we went through a few tests/workshops and from there he gave me my diagnoses of ADHD and a script for Foquest. Since getting this script and diagnosis, I have registered through Queens Student Wellness and am continuing to make constant appointments to ensure I am being properly medicated.

I strongly believe that after you read my petition, you will understand that my several failed courses do not represent me as a person, nor as a Queen??s student. The last few semesters I have been at the lowest points of my life, and I am doing everything in my power to never go there again. Moving forward I am attending bi-weekly therapy appointments, I am working with several doctors, I am over 2 and a half months sober, and most importantly I am keeping my family and academic advisors in the loop to ensure I am staying on top of my studies and mental health.

I am very appreciative for you reading this petition, and hopefully you will agree with me that my failed classes are the consequences of an uncontrollable mental health crisis, but more importantly I hope you agree that I am taking the proper steps to ensure this never happens again.
T
hank you,

Patrick Burke