Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Over the course of the past two years, I have come to understand a lot about myself and more importantly what I need to do to ensure that I am in my best possible state for the years to come.
Growing up I found myself and my family having to deal with my confidence issues that made new tasks or activities stressful and troubling for myself. Sometimes it made it difficult for me to go on with these activities, however, with my parents’ help it remained manageable. As I got older, new stresses began appearing in my life and my ability to manage this anxiety seemed to worsen. It became harder for me to overcome and complete required tasks. In 2021 I began my grade 12 year which was the start of when my issues began to worsen to a serious point. Over the course of that year, I found the stresses of my schoolwork began to take a toll on my physical health. I was no longer eating nor sleeping regularly which left me feeling depleted with little to no energy and motivation. I went down in clothes sizes and felt embarrassed to eat out with my friends which only added to my social anxiety. Despite these issues I managed to graduate that year with honors and felt hopeful and capable for my first year at Queen’s.
Unfortunately, it was during my time in first-year where my mental health took a serious decline and I felt like I had reached a state lower than ever before. Coming into my first year I began to develop issues with my self image on top of my confidence issues and anxiety. However, over the course of the fall term this year, I was able to make some friends and connections which helped me manage my issues to some degree. Despite this, my roommate was not interested in any form of socialization which made living in a double room incredibly lonely. I began to struggle with keeping up with assignments from my 5 courses, adding to my collective stresses which began to negatively affect my motivation to work as well as my health once again. Despite this, I managed to make it through the fall term except for one course, yet, over the winter break, my friends whom I had planned to get a house with for next year cut me out of the plans and weren’t going to tell me until a week back into the winter term if I hadn’t found out sooner. This news sent me over the edge, I felt like I couldn’t go to classes, I couldn't eat and when I did, I would get sick. My sleep became difficult to manage and unpredictable. I thought about reaching out to my teachers, but I told myself that this problem couldn’t be understood as I believed it to be made up and not wanting to deal with facing that fact with my teachers I never reached out. Eventually I began to have thoughts which became dangerous, and it was clear that I needed to get help.
Regrettably I didn’t seek it right away. I was terrified to act and deal with these emotions which prevented me from seeking it out sooner which likely would have helped me before my situation got as bad as it has now. Regardless, I am working on bettering my mental health and ensuring that I never enter a state as bad as it was this past year. I am planning on adjusting my course load to have only 4 courses next year to have a better handle on my academics and feel able to make my best self possible. Thankfully I’m not working on this alone and have explained what happened to my parents who are fully committed to supporting my situation. I also have a new housing situation set up for my second year with other students my age and looking forward to a fresh start at Queen’s. I am working through QSAS and gathering all of my medical documents which pertain to my situation. I have begun seeing a social worker on a weekly basis and I am visiting my family doctor to explain the effects that intense feelings of anxiety can physically have on me. Overall, I have struggled a lot this past year, despite that however, I believe that I have learned valuable lessons regarding my own capabilities, as well as the importance of asking for help when I’m beginning to struggle. I am now doing everything I possibly can to ensure that I never end up in this situation again. It is for this very reason that I am requesting to drop failed courses and to change course from c- and lower to a CR. Thank you.