Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Associate Dean (Academic) :

I am requesting to waive the one-year deadline to petition to drop courses, and this is why I missed that deadline.

In my first year at Queen’s, I struggled with the transition both academically and emotionally. My mental health declined significantly, and I experienced worsening depression and anxiety. On top of that, I was later diagnosed with ADHD, which I hadn’t realized I had at the time. The undiagnosed ADHD made it harder to focus, stay organized, and manage my workload, adding to the difficulties I was already facing. Eventually, I stopped attending classes altogether and isolated myself in my residence.

At the time, I was afraid to ask for help because I was worried about being judged. I didn’t know what support was available, so I didn’t seek accommodations.

Looking back, I can see that the mental health and ADHD symptoms had already started in the fall term, but by winter, they fully impacted my ability to engage with CISC 121 and MATH 121B. I disengaged from most courses, stopped attending lectures and tutorials, and couldn’t complete any major assignments or exams.

While I did drop courses during that period, I was afraid to go below a full-time course load because I relied heavily on OSAP funding. At the same time, I was struggling so much mentally and emotionally that I couldn’t even begin to think about filing a petition or asking for academic help. I didn’t fully understand what options were available, and honestly, I didn’t feel capable of taking that kind of step. I was afraid that if I dropped too many courses, I’d lose my funding and wouldn’t be able to continue at Queen’s. Even though I could barely manage one course, I stayed in two more just to meet the full-time requirement.

In my second year, I thought my struggles were due to taking too many courses, so I lowered my course load to three. But I soon realized it wasn’t the number of courses, but the type (specifically math). I ended up retaking three math-oriented courses (MATH 121, MATH 111, and CISC 102), and that was extremely difficult for me. My ADHD made it hard to follow the material and stay on track, especially when it came to math. I did try to get help by going to office hours, but it wasn’t enough. Eventually, I dropped all of them before the fall course drop deadline. At this point, I began to lose hope in my academics and no longer had the energy to worry about my OSAP funding status.

By the winter term of that school year, my mental health had worsened again. I signed up for three new courses but dropped them very early. At the time, I felt emotionally drained and completely unable to handle school, though in hindsight, I might have been able to manage at least one or two of them.

In third year, everything came to a head. I couldn’t get OSAP because I failed to meet the academic requirements for the probationary period, and without that funding, I became even more isolated. I barely left my room, had no class to attend, and spent most days completely alone. Around January, I ran out of money and couldn’t afford rent anymore, so I finally opened up to my parents about what I had been dealing with. I began seeing a psychiatrist and started getting a proper diagnosis and treatment.

I am currently in active treatment and continue to work on improving my mental health. I am participating in a day hospital program and receiving regular psychiatric care, including medication management for ADHD. While I am still in the recovery process, I now have the right support systems in place and am taking concrete steps to manage my health and academic responsibilities. I’ve registered with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services and have academic accommodations, and I’m working with Student Academic Success Services to build stronger study habits and coping strategies.

I’m currently waiting to hear back from student services about which courses I should prioritize to increase my chances of getting into the COCA computing specialization next year. I spoke with my psychiatrist about this path, and we both agree it would be a better fit for me since it involves fewer math-heavy courses while still letting me focus on programming, which I enjoy.

Once these course drops are processed, I plan to retake CISC 121 because it’s required in that specialization. I won’t be retaking MATH 121B, as it’s not required, and my academic advisor recommended dropping it since it’s negatively affecting my GPA. My psychiatrist also suggested that I try a reduced course load going forward to see how I do with fewer math-based courses to juggle.

Sincerely,
Xin Yu Xue
Student ID: 20352243