Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 10629
Submitted: June 6, 2023 at 8:02:50 PM
First Name: Tanesha
Last Name: Duncan-Zulu
Pronoun: she/her
Preferred Name: Tanesha Duncan-Zulu
Student Number: 10219194
Email: 21tdz2@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: SOCY
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Tanesha Duncan Zulu
May 23rd, 2023
Dear Academic Associate Dean, I am petitioning to waive the Faculty??s requirement that I must withdraw from Queen??s University for a year. During this academic school year, I faced an unexpected traumatic family issue that caused me to enter a depressive episode. As the school year continued, my mental health and family support declined, leaving me in a poor state of well-being. I struggled a lot during the weeks after Thanksgiving, such as getting out of bed, making it to lectures, and having the ability to focus during lectures. In all honesty, the pressure of my family's expectations and school became all too much. By October, I began to have suicidal thoughts and it was affecting my overall academic performance. After this occurred I was finally able to resume consultations with my social worker after not being able to do so for two months due to financial aid expenses. Despite my efforts to regain some sustainability with my mental health for the rest of the academic year, I continued to be unsuccessful due to added experiences. These added experiences include my family??s abandonment during the holidays and reading weeks that really took a toll on my mental health and willpower to keep on pushing.
The reason why I did not apply for academic considerations after first semester is because I was not mentally prepared to accept that I needed assistance. Anytime I thought about asking for help, I was reminded how much it felt like I had failed myself and those around me. I carried the burden of feeling like all of my work in high school and the effort I put in to succeed as a first-generation student, was all for nothing. I felt like I was joining the statistic of Black students from underprivileged families who struggle in university.
Since restarting my consultations, I have regained confidence and shown growth in my mental state. The only way to learn from my mistakes and failures is to accept that it did happen. That was the main issue that held me back from being the academic student I am known to be. With this in mind, in order to be successful this upcoming fall, if granted to do so, I have already taken the steps to get myself on antidepressants, gotten help researching the services available at Queens such as mentorship through my scholarship, tutoring, and continue to see my social worker weekly. The reason for me not taking the steps to go on anti-depressants earlier is because of cultural stigma on mental health within my family but with help and healing, I have learned that this decision is the right one to make in order for me to be more successful in the upcoming year.
May 23rd, 2023
Dear Academic Associate Dean, I am petitioning to waive the Faculty??s requirement that I must withdraw from Queen??s University for a year. During this academic school year, I faced an unexpected traumatic family issue that caused me to enter a depressive episode. As the school year continued, my mental health and family support declined, leaving me in a poor state of well-being. I struggled a lot during the weeks after Thanksgiving, such as getting out of bed, making it to lectures, and having the ability to focus during lectures. In all honesty, the pressure of my family's expectations and school became all too much. By October, I began to have suicidal thoughts and it was affecting my overall academic performance. After this occurred I was finally able to resume consultations with my social worker after not being able to do so for two months due to financial aid expenses. Despite my efforts to regain some sustainability with my mental health for the rest of the academic year, I continued to be unsuccessful due to added experiences. These added experiences include my family??s abandonment during the holidays and reading weeks that really took a toll on my mental health and willpower to keep on pushing.
The reason why I did not apply for academic considerations after first semester is because I was not mentally prepared to accept that I needed assistance. Anytime I thought about asking for help, I was reminded how much it felt like I had failed myself and those around me. I carried the burden of feeling like all of my work in high school and the effort I put in to succeed as a first-generation student, was all for nothing. I felt like I was joining the statistic of Black students from underprivileged families who struggle in university.
Since restarting my consultations, I have regained confidence and shown growth in my mental state. The only way to learn from my mistakes and failures is to accept that it did happen. That was the main issue that held me back from being the academic student I am known to be. With this in mind, in order to be successful this upcoming fall, if granted to do so, I have already taken the steps to get myself on antidepressants, gotten help researching the services available at Queens such as mentorship through my scholarship, tutoring, and continue to see my social worker weekly. The reason for me not taking the steps to go on anti-depressants earlier is because of cultural stigma on mental health within my family but with help and healing, I have learned that this decision is the right one to make in order for me to be more successful in the upcoming year.
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: In regards to my academic plan for the upcoming year, I plan to take a reduced workload of 4 courses during the fall and winter semesters to limit stress and anxiety. I plan to retake Sociology as I still see the course being my major for next year, and I will be retaking Gender Studies as I found a unique interest in the course. I have learned to manage my courses more effectively this year and plan to take electives during the summer of 2024. Some steps that I want to improve on moving forward is really getting the hand of using the school??s resources, such as using the Yellow House??s psychological services for times when I can not see my social right away and taking advantage of the professor??s office hours. I am confident that taking these steps to provide a better outcome for next year??s academic year, will be successful because I already possess the learning skills and courage to reach my goals and ambitions. I am prepared to succeed both academically and have the correct tools and methods to sustain a healthy mentality. I am also currently living in a better environment where I have room to grow and be successful around also very successful peers. I have learned how important it is to reach out for help when I need it and to be grateful that I even made it this far in life. Thank you for the opportunity as having me as a member at Queen??s, despite everything I was going through this term I was able to find a community here at Queen??s. I hope to show what I am really capable of this coming fall.
Tanesha Duncan- Zulu
Tanesha Duncan- Zulu
Documentation
Professional Letter: Off-Campus Physician Form -T.D..pdf