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Petition Type: New
ID: 14493
Submitted: June 15, 2026 at 11:58:14 PM
First Name: Gavin
Last Name: Carter
Pronoun: he/hom
Student Number: 20530543
Email: 24vqm1@queensu.ca
Degree Program: arts
Plan: econ
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter:
I'm requesting a waiver of the one-year requirement to withdraw from the Faculty of Arts and Science and would like to continue my studies. The extenuating circumstances are what happened over the past year.
I had extremely bad personal health (ADHD and anxiety issues) throughout the year that were beyond my control. I had a roommate who was extremely angry, rude, and an alcoholic. It was very difficult to be around, which made the room very bad for me. The room did not feel safe at all for me; I was always on edge and constantly on the verge of a panic attack.
During the year, my ADHD got to a point where I would zone out for days, couldn't leave bed, and whenever I would look at my work, my anxiety would take over. I would go into panic attacks because I was so behind. This connects directly to my marks. Sometimes even looking at my work made me feel physically ill or led to panic attacks that would last for hours.
My worst struggle, though, was with self-harm and suicidal ideation throughout the year. It got to a point where I had to call my parents to come help because I told my older brother I wanted to kill myself. Since then, those thoughts have not continued, as I have been supported by my family.
I have been seeing a therapist and a psychologist at Queen’s, and I am now on the right medication. I was recently re-diagnosed and started on pregabalin, which should help. I want to emphasize that I am actively working with my counselor, therapist, and executive decision coach to improve.
With a new living space where I feel comfortable and safe, I truly believe I can push through this year, complete my work, and show that I can be a strong addition to the university.
I'm requesting a waiver of the one-year requirement to withdraw from the Faculty of Arts and Science and would like to continue my studies. The extenuating circumstances are what happened over the past year.
I had extremely bad personal health (ADHD and anxiety issues) throughout the year that were beyond my control. I had a roommate who was extremely angry, rude, and an alcoholic. It was very difficult to be around, which made the room very bad for me. The room did not feel safe at all for me; I was always on edge and constantly on the verge of a panic attack.
During the year, my ADHD got to a point where I would zone out for days, couldn't leave bed, and whenever I would look at my work, my anxiety would take over. I would go into panic attacks because I was so behind. This connects directly to my marks. Sometimes even looking at my work made me feel physically ill or led to panic attacks that would last for hours.
My worst struggle, though, was with self-harm and suicidal ideation throughout the year. It got to a point where I had to call my parents to come help because I told my older brother I wanted to kill myself. Since then, those thoughts have not continued, as I have been supported by my family.
I have been seeing a therapist and a psychologist at Queen’s, and I am now on the right medication. I was recently re-diagnosed and started on pregabalin, which should help. I want to emphasize that I am actively working with my counselor, therapist, and executive decision coach to improve.
With a new living space where I feel comfortable and safe, I truly believe I can push through this year, complete my work, and show that I can be a strong addition to the university.
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: This year, I'm going to work with a reduced course load to help manage my ADHD and make sure I don't overload myself. My plan is still to complete a full semester’s worth of courses, but I will split them across the summer, fall, and winter.
After speaking with my therapist and executive decision coach, this is what we think will work best:
Work with daily schedules and fixed study blocks
Keep a consistent routine
Stay on track using calendars
Break assignments into smaller tasks to help with anxiety and ADHD
Focus on low-distraction environments like the library or study rooms
Moving forward, I will also regularly work with my academic advisor and Student Academic Services to improve my time management, studying, and writing skills.
My goal is to push myself, stay above a 1.6 GPA, and prove to myself that I can do this. I want to be able to go into exams feeling prepared and confident, knowing I can do well.
After speaking with my therapist and executive decision coach, this is what we think will work best:
Work with daily schedules and fixed study blocks
Keep a consistent routine
Stay on track using calendars
Break assignments into smaller tasks to help with anxiety and ADHD
Focus on low-distraction environments like the library or study rooms
Moving forward, I will also regularly work with my academic advisor and Student Academic Services to improve my time management, studying, and writing skills.
My goal is to push myself, stay above a 1.6 GPA, and prove to myself that I can do this. I want to be able to go into exams feeling prepared and confident, knowing I can do well.
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: NO doc
Document: Specialty Clinic Report .pdf
Documentation Detail: Clinic report