Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 11619
Submitted: March 14, 2024 at 1:20:02 PM
First Name: Saffron
Last Name: Sobkin
Pronoun: She/her
Student Number: 20212145
Email: saffronsobkin@gmail.com
Degree Program: BSc
Plan: PSYC
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,
My name is Saffron Sobkin. I am a former Queen's University undergraduate student, and I am writing to ask the associate dean to waive the deadline for obtaining academic consideration, so that I can ultimately drop courses from my transcript that were negatively impacted by undiagnosed mental health issues. The courses are Chem 211 (Fall 2021), Psyc 203, and Psyc 251 (Winter 2022).
In September 2020 I began my first year of university entirely online. Prior to this I had been a high-achieving high school student who would never have considered that I might have a psychological disorder. I achieved high grades in my first year despite the grief I felt at losing the opportunity to attend the Bader International Study Centre due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Fall 2021, I left home for the first time and moved to Queen’s. Unable to live in residence as a second year student, I found an apartment, and in this isolated and lonely environment, the lockdown that occurred from December 2021 through mid-February 2022 contributed to a deterioration in my mood and functioning. I experienced a major depressive episode, was unable to sit the last exam of the Fall semester, and subsequently failed Chem 211. I was also unable to participate in the first half of the Winter semester. A return to in-person classes improved my mood enough to take some steps towards recovery, including seeking therapy and medication. I received academic consideration for a missed midterm, and did well when I took it. However, I did not recover sufficiently to pass two of my Winter Term courses, Psyc 203 and Psyc 251, and I subsequently lost my scholarship.
My 2020-2021 marks were high enough that I was accepted to go on an exchange for my third year. Unfortunately, while I was abroad I experienced another major depressive episode, and had to leave school entirely to focus on my health. Upon returning home, I began regular therapy and medication. I was also diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder and ADHD. It has taken about fourteen months, but I have experienced a marked improvement in my mood disorder from regular talk therapy, antidepressant medication, and lifestyle factors.
Learning that I have ADHD improved my self-compassion, taught me about the causal factors behind my symptoms, and provided a deeper understanding of my educational needs. I have registered for disability accommodations with my current university, something I did not have at Queen’s, and sought out education on anxiety, executive dysfunction, and learning strategies through both individual and group programs. Currently, I am achieving good marks in a reduced course load at the University of Victoria, and hope to increase my capacity further to complete my degree within two to three years.
I did not make this appeal earlier because during the time I was in school and immediately after, I felt significant guilt and anxiety over my poor academic performance. I perceived my departure from school as a failure of personality, and at the time I did not feel fully comfortable admitting that I was experiencing problems with mental illness due to internalized stigma. Now, after the time I have spent learning and healing, and on the advice of the professionals I have worked with, I feel capable of initiating the appeals process. I have learned that I deserve help.
Although I do have a new understanding of my vulnerabilities, I remain ambitious and academically minded. I have aspirations for a challenging career in a feminist, care-oriented field, such as obstetrics and gynecology or counselling psychology. However, I am naturally concerned that poor marks on my transcript will impact my ability to obtain graduate education or advanced professional training. I am asking for your help to mitigate the fallout that comes from undiagnosed mental illness. I hope that I will not be prevented from achieving my ambitions by the cracks I sustained before I knew I had fragile places to protect. I humbly request that the deadline be waived for me to appeal to drop Chem 211, Psyc 203, and Psyc 251 from my transcript.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Saffron Sobkin
20212145
My name is Saffron Sobkin. I am a former Queen's University undergraduate student, and I am writing to ask the associate dean to waive the deadline for obtaining academic consideration, so that I can ultimately drop courses from my transcript that were negatively impacted by undiagnosed mental health issues. The courses are Chem 211 (Fall 2021), Psyc 203, and Psyc 251 (Winter 2022).
In September 2020 I began my first year of university entirely online. Prior to this I had been a high-achieving high school student who would never have considered that I might have a psychological disorder. I achieved high grades in my first year despite the grief I felt at losing the opportunity to attend the Bader International Study Centre due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Fall 2021, I left home for the first time and moved to Queen’s. Unable to live in residence as a second year student, I found an apartment, and in this isolated and lonely environment, the lockdown that occurred from December 2021 through mid-February 2022 contributed to a deterioration in my mood and functioning. I experienced a major depressive episode, was unable to sit the last exam of the Fall semester, and subsequently failed Chem 211. I was also unable to participate in the first half of the Winter semester. A return to in-person classes improved my mood enough to take some steps towards recovery, including seeking therapy and medication. I received academic consideration for a missed midterm, and did well when I took it. However, I did not recover sufficiently to pass two of my Winter Term courses, Psyc 203 and Psyc 251, and I subsequently lost my scholarship.
My 2020-2021 marks were high enough that I was accepted to go on an exchange for my third year. Unfortunately, while I was abroad I experienced another major depressive episode, and had to leave school entirely to focus on my health. Upon returning home, I began regular therapy and medication. I was also diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder and ADHD. It has taken about fourteen months, but I have experienced a marked improvement in my mood disorder from regular talk therapy, antidepressant medication, and lifestyle factors.
Learning that I have ADHD improved my self-compassion, taught me about the causal factors behind my symptoms, and provided a deeper understanding of my educational needs. I have registered for disability accommodations with my current university, something I did not have at Queen’s, and sought out education on anxiety, executive dysfunction, and learning strategies through both individual and group programs. Currently, I am achieving good marks in a reduced course load at the University of Victoria, and hope to increase my capacity further to complete my degree within two to three years.
I did not make this appeal earlier because during the time I was in school and immediately after, I felt significant guilt and anxiety over my poor academic performance. I perceived my departure from school as a failure of personality, and at the time I did not feel fully comfortable admitting that I was experiencing problems with mental illness due to internalized stigma. Now, after the time I have spent learning and healing, and on the advice of the professionals I have worked with, I feel capable of initiating the appeals process. I have learned that I deserve help.
Although I do have a new understanding of my vulnerabilities, I remain ambitious and academically minded. I have aspirations for a challenging career in a feminist, care-oriented field, such as obstetrics and gynecology or counselling psychology. However, I am naturally concerned that poor marks on my transcript will impact my ability to obtain graduate education or advanced professional training. I am asking for your help to mitigate the fallout that comes from undiagnosed mental illness. I hope that I will not be prevented from achieving my ambitions by the cracks I sustained before I knew I had fragile places to protect. I humbly request that the deadline be waived for me to appeal to drop Chem 211, Psyc 203, and Psyc 251 from my transcript.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Saffron Sobkin
20212145
Documentation
Professional Letter: Letter of Support-25.pdf