Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 1791
Submitted: January 22, 2016 at 10:14:26 AM
First Name: Vrajesh
Last Name: Dave
Student Number: 10146658
Email: vrajesh.dave@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BScH
Plan: BIOL
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline, Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Code: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: BIOL 243
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: BIOL 201
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Grogan and Dr. Aarsenn
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Vrajesh Dave
535 Union Street
Jean Royce Hall, Phase 2
Kingston, ON K7M 2B9
January 22, 2016
Associate Dean (Studies)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Dunning Hall, Queen's University
Kingston, ON K7L 3N9
To Whom It May Concern:
I am appealing to have the following courses changed to DR from F: CHEM 281 and BIOL 243. Also, I am requesting CR in the following course: BIOL 201. All of these are for the 2015-2016 academic year, specifically the Fall term.
The reason for my appeal is due to some personal struggles I have been facing for the past several months. After an academically shaky first year, my second year started out well, especially with Residence Life as a don, but began to decline rapidly soon after. Around early October 2015, I felt a lot of academic and personal anxiety, stressing about my worst school year (first year) ever, being unable to recover this year (second year), and consequently not being able to meet requirements for medical and professional schools. Moreover, maintaining the persona of an academic, an athlete, and a student-leader since high school, and not living up to that was genuinely depressing. I experienced a lot of trouble sleeping, had a hard time staying focused in lectures and while studying, and underwent a major lack of motivation to eat right and go to the gym or swim (something unheard of for me). With all of this, I was very behind in course material and definitely could not put forth my best effort. Finally, around mid-December 2015, I realized I did not want to keep going like this and sought help. I desperately wanted to get back to my high school self, enjoy university, and excel both in and out of the classroom. I have been seeing Freeman Woolnough, one of the Residence Outreach Counselors, and that has helped immensely.
My future plan to stay on track and change how things were going in the previous three semesters is comprised of five key parts. First, I intend to stay in touch with Freeman and check-in with him once per month until the end of the school year. The conversations, debriefing, and activities with him have doubtlessly been helping in a positive way. Second and third, to hold myself accountable to others, I will be going in to see my professors and TA's at least 2-3 times per month, as well as studying with a group at least once per week. Fourth, to keep my parents in the loop and have some emotional family support, I will be FaceTimeing them once a week. Lastly, with the help of Freeman and a few other dons, I have developed a detailed Monday-Friday schedule that accommodates my class time, study time, sufficient gym time and self-care, as well as don commitments, and volunteer work. I have been following this quite accurately to best help myself, and my residents as a don. All five of these strategies are truly brand-new, as I have not implemented them till now. So far, being three weeks in to school, they have been working marvelously. My outlook on this semester is brighter than ever and I honestly feel happier overall.
In terms of the failed courses, I look to complete CHEM 281 online this summer and BIOL 243 next Fall (2016).
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my appeal.
Sincerely,
Vrajesh Dave
535 Union Street
Jean Royce Hall, Phase 2
Kingston, ON K7M 2B9
January 22, 2016
Associate Dean (Studies)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Dunning Hall, Queen's University
Kingston, ON K7L 3N9
To Whom It May Concern:
I am appealing to have the following courses changed to DR from F: CHEM 281 and BIOL 243. Also, I am requesting CR in the following course: BIOL 201. All of these are for the 2015-2016 academic year, specifically the Fall term.
The reason for my appeal is due to some personal struggles I have been facing for the past several months. After an academically shaky first year, my second year started out well, especially with Residence Life as a don, but began to decline rapidly soon after. Around early October 2015, I felt a lot of academic and personal anxiety, stressing about my worst school year (first year) ever, being unable to recover this year (second year), and consequently not being able to meet requirements for medical and professional schools. Moreover, maintaining the persona of an academic, an athlete, and a student-leader since high school, and not living up to that was genuinely depressing. I experienced a lot of trouble sleeping, had a hard time staying focused in lectures and while studying, and underwent a major lack of motivation to eat right and go to the gym or swim (something unheard of for me). With all of this, I was very behind in course material and definitely could not put forth my best effort. Finally, around mid-December 2015, I realized I did not want to keep going like this and sought help. I desperately wanted to get back to my high school self, enjoy university, and excel both in and out of the classroom. I have been seeing Freeman Woolnough, one of the Residence Outreach Counselors, and that has helped immensely.
My future plan to stay on track and change how things were going in the previous three semesters is comprised of five key parts. First, I intend to stay in touch with Freeman and check-in with him once per month until the end of the school year. The conversations, debriefing, and activities with him have doubtlessly been helping in a positive way. Second and third, to hold myself accountable to others, I will be going in to see my professors and TA's at least 2-3 times per month, as well as studying with a group at least once per week. Fourth, to keep my parents in the loop and have some emotional family support, I will be FaceTimeing them once a week. Lastly, with the help of Freeman and a few other dons, I have developed a detailed Monday-Friday schedule that accommodates my class time, study time, sufficient gym time and self-care, as well as don commitments, and volunteer work. I have been following this quite accurately to best help myself, and my residents as a don. All five of these strategies are truly brand-new, as I have not implemented them till now. So far, being three weeks in to school, they have been working marvelously. My outlook on this semester is brighter than ever and I honestly feel happier overall.
In terms of the failed courses, I look to complete CHEM 281 online this summer and BIOL 243 next Fall (2016).
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my appeal.
Sincerely,
Vrajesh Dave
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: Documentation on file.