Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: February 25th, 2025

I am petitioning for a late course drop for three courses for the Fall 2024 term: CISC 102, ECON 111, and LING 101.

Although I had been excited to move away from home for the first time and start my studies in computing, I became very overwhelmed shortly after moving into residence. I found the material in many of my classes interesting, and I rarely missed attending class, but I found myself unable to absorb any of the information being taught. As the term progressed, I found myself missing tests and not completing assignments. When I would sit down to do an assignment, I would find myself staring at my blank computer screen, unable to get started. I became quite frustrated, as I wanted to succeed and knew I could do well if I applied myself, but I had lost all motivation to do anything.

My social anxiety began to escalate - I did not make any friends, and would sit alone in my residence room, sometimes afraid to come out in fear of encountering somebody in the hallway. My loneliness and homesickness consumed me, and at times I found myself not eating for days at a time out of anxiety about going to the cafeteria.

My parents were very worried about me and wanted to get me help, but I felt frozen and unable to take any measures to get help while living so far away from home. My social anxiety was so severe that the thought of talking to anyone, even a counsellor, about what I was going through felt inconceivable to me. I was vaguely aware of drop deadlines, but felt powerless since I knew I couldn’t drop core courses and continue in my program. I don’t think I was in a mental state that would have allowed me to make such a heavy decision anyway.

I thought I could still recover and pass my classes. I kept attending and sitting through lectures, but would walk out without much understanding of what was taught that day. By the time exams came around, I knew that there was no way I was going to pass my classes. As suspected, I failed all but one - and I only did well in that one class because it was all material I had already known for years before starting at Queen’s.

I took a leave of absence for the Winter term so I could move back in with my family and work on my mental health. I am now under the care of a psychologist, who has diagnosed me with social anxiety and possible ADHD, and I will soon be starting medication to help me on my road to recovery. I think the move to Kingston was too much for my mental health at that time in my life, and am considering transferring to a closer school such as Laurier for the Fall of 2025. If I do return to Queen’s, I may live closer to family who reside in Kingston, and take on a lighter course load. I am hoping that the medication and therapy I am starting will help me to be more successful in my second try at first year. Regardless of whether I return to Queen’s or go elsewhere, the GPA from my first term will hold me back from succeeding in my chosen studies. I am hoping to have a clean slate so I can have a second chance at the computing degree I will need to follow the career path I have always hoped for.

Thanks for your consideration,
Evan Gorman