Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

I am appealing to drop all of my courses for the fall semester, which include DEVS 230, GNDS 212, and FILM 240. Due to extenuating circumstances involving my mental health, I felt that I was not well enough to complete the semester, and unfortunately had to leave Kingston towards the beginning of November.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I made an appointment to speak to my doctor about my situation, and I was diagnosed with depression. I have previously had struggles with my mental health, as I was diagnosed with OCD at the age of 9, however this was the first time I had dealt with depression. Soon afterwards, my doctor prescribed me with a medication to help me with my depression, however the medication took a very long time to work at full strength, and I was unable to see much progress while I was still attending school. In addition to this, the medication made it very difficult to sleep, and that made me extremely fatigued, furthering my difficulty with focusing on my school work.

My condition seemed to arise towards the end of what had been a very stressful summer, however it was not noticeable in my first couple of weeks back in school. Towards the beginning of October, I found myself very upset most nights, and soon after, hit a very low point. I was having difficulty with focusing on my readings and assignments, and lacked the motivation I needed to succeed. Moreover, I found that I was unable to get up out of bed to attend classes, and had lost interest in my personal wellbeing, and in socializing with peers. While I thought that lowering my course load, contacting disability services, and seeing counsellors both inside and outside of the Queen¿¿s community would help my condition, it seems that it was not enough. It unfortunately came to a point where I felt that I would be unable to get better and improve my condition while coping with the stresses of school, which is when I concluded that returning home was the only feasible option.

I intend on returning to Queen¿¿s for the winter semester, and look forward to my future studies, however I am concerned how this leave of absence will affect my academic standing. I worked extremely hard in my first year and achieved above the academic success I had expected to. The grades I received earlier in this semester absolutely did not reflect this same work ethic, and I was unable to put in the same amount of concentration and dedication I had in my previous studies. Since leaving, I have been seeing my psychologist on a regular basis, and have seen my doctor bi-weekly to check up on my mood and wellbeing. I have also increased the dosage of my medication, which I should be used to by the time I return in the new year. Furthermore, to ensure that I am taking the proper medication, I will be seeing a psychiatrist. My mood has improved since my return home, however there are still developments to be made to ensure that it does not further affect my academic performance at Queen¿¿s. I intend on regularly seeing a psychologist when I return to Kingston, and will likely return home on occasion to check in with my doctor, as well as to see my psychologist at home. I will likely be taking a lighter course load in order to avoid an uncontrollable amount of stress that would interfere with my mental health.

Thank you for considering my appeal, and for understanding during this difficult time. I have attached my original letter from my doctor as well as my letter from the Queen¿¿s Disability Services Office. Should you require further documentation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Warm regards,

Robin Nicholson
10105819