Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Meaghan Bate and I recently finished my second year at Queen's as an English major in the Arts and Science Honours program. This year, however, I struggled both with extenuating family circumstances and personal issues of my own beyond my control which have significantly affected my academic standing. I am submitting this appeal with the hope that the 3 classes this semester in which I received failing grades may be replaced with DR notations.
With regards to my familial circumstances, my older sister struggles with psychosis and from July to February of this past year she dealt with a psychotic episode that weighed extremely heavily on my family and myself. As a result of this along with a long time struggle of my own to mediate my anxiety I fell into a depressive episode in January. I struggled both with maintaining a healthy lifestyle and achieving any degree of commitment or success in my academics. I rarely, if ever, was able to attend class and my attempts to complete assignments were either futile or incomplete. It was difficult to recognize that I needed help, as I have no family in the province. I sought help from the Queen's counseling department in January and spent the remaining semester struggling to become healthy after being diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and beginning to take anti depressants. During my depressive episode it became difficult to concentrate, I had extremely low interest in activities and studying, had a disrupted sleep schedule and spent a majority of each week inside.
As I now am able to reflect on this past year I wish I had the foresight to drop my classes before the deadline so I could seek the help I needed however I wasn't able to focus on much beyond my illness these past few months. I have come to understand the regularity with which mental illness debilitates university students however it does not dilute the struggle and hardship of living with depression everyday. I love learning and I love my chosen major and the classes available to me at Queen's however I have been unable to find any joy in this past semester's classes as my degree of concentration and focus was not sufficient to become immersed in my studies. I have always enjoyed literature and reading and I have hopes to one day impress upon students of my own as a teacher the same passion for learning that I have found. Over the past few weeks since I have entered remission and I've begun to refocus on my life holistically I am afraid of the impact this past semester will have on my future as a student and later career. It is difficult during a depressive episode to recognize what is happening around you and the consequences of actions but now that I can see the possible repercussions of this semester I am afraid of what it may mean for me as a student.
I am now getting better and despite making the decision to take this next year off to become entirely healthy and well I am not abandoning my desire to complete my bachelor's degree. I am very aware that due to my grades this semester there is a very slim chance that I will be able to raise my GPA enough in the forthcoming years to a level where I can possibly enter teacher's college or grad school.
I have seen both a physician and a counselor over the past semester and both have written letters to attest to these facts. I am very passionate about finding joy in my life and I know I have and can once again find joy in learning and would appreciate and covet the opportunity to do so without the effects of my illness holding me back.

Thank you for your consideration in my appeal,
Meaghan Bate