Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 14041
Submitted: February 21, 2026 at 9:48:22 PM
First Name: Fiona
Last Name: Kolbuc-James
Pronoun: She/they
Student Number: 20373272
Email: 22fgkj@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: DRAM
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: DRAM 300
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2025
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear committee members,
I am writing this letter to support my petition to drop DRAM 300 (Fall 2024-Winter 2025)
I have OCD and experienced a significant flare up in January 2025. Due to some converging stressors and the challenging nature of the course, DRAM 300 was specifically hard to attend and it was also hard to face the homework. As the semester continued, my OCD symptoms increased and this course became a trigger. I avoided it as a way to survive (this is in keeping with the symptoms of my OCD).
I feared that working on this course would cause a symptom spiral that would then affect my other classes and my mental health. I’ve had experience with my symptoms where they’ve taken over my life and put my life at risk. I was seeing my therapist regularly which helped me get through it, but not to get to class.
When the drop date came at the end of February 2025, I felt I could still recover and be able to pass the course. I was able to do that in the Fall semester so I felt it was possible but I didn't realize in February that my health would get worse in the second semester. The situation snowballed and it was difficult to face this situation when my health was so poor.
The reason I was able to finish my other courses that semester was because they didn’t trigger my OCD as much so I was able to do them even when unwell. The second semester of this course came with significant demands which were made more difficult because I couldn’t attend class due to my symptoms.
I am highly motivated to change this situation. I have been seeing an Occupational Therapist since Summer 2025 to help me stay on track with my academics even when my symptoms flare up. I'm also working with my counsellor on strategies to help me manage my OCD during the school semester. I continue to take a lighter course load to help me stay healthy while in school. As of January 2026 I have also recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and I am receiving treatment for it. I am currently retaking DRAM 300 and all these supports are helping me to successfully engage in the course and hand in assignments.
I hope this provides you with the information you need to make a decision regarding my petition to drop DRAM 300 after the drop date has passed.
Sincerely,
Fiona Kolbuc-James
I am writing this letter to support my petition to drop DRAM 300 (Fall 2024-Winter 2025)
I have OCD and experienced a significant flare up in January 2025. Due to some converging stressors and the challenging nature of the course, DRAM 300 was specifically hard to attend and it was also hard to face the homework. As the semester continued, my OCD symptoms increased and this course became a trigger. I avoided it as a way to survive (this is in keeping with the symptoms of my OCD).
I feared that working on this course would cause a symptom spiral that would then affect my other classes and my mental health. I’ve had experience with my symptoms where they’ve taken over my life and put my life at risk. I was seeing my therapist regularly which helped me get through it, but not to get to class.
When the drop date came at the end of February 2025, I felt I could still recover and be able to pass the course. I was able to do that in the Fall semester so I felt it was possible but I didn't realize in February that my health would get worse in the second semester. The situation snowballed and it was difficult to face this situation when my health was so poor.
The reason I was able to finish my other courses that semester was because they didn’t trigger my OCD as much so I was able to do them even when unwell. The second semester of this course came with significant demands which were made more difficult because I couldn’t attend class due to my symptoms.
I am highly motivated to change this situation. I have been seeing an Occupational Therapist since Summer 2025 to help me stay on track with my academics even when my symptoms flare up. I'm also working with my counsellor on strategies to help me manage my OCD during the school semester. I continue to take a lighter course load to help me stay healthy while in school. As of January 2026 I have also recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and I am receiving treatment for it. I am currently retaking DRAM 300 and all these supports are helping me to successfully engage in the course and hand in assignments.
I hope this provides you with the information you need to make a decision regarding my petition to drop DRAM 300 after the drop date has passed.
Sincerely,
Fiona Kolbuc-James
Documentation
Professional Letter: Support Letter FKJ 2026.pdf