Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello,

Dear Associated Dean,

I am writing to you regarding my grade in CLST 201, that I took in the Winter 2014 semester. Due to unforeseen circumstances and health issues, I unfortunately failed the class. I hope after reading this letter, you will allow me to drop the course so it will not appear on my transcript.

Since early 2013, I have had anxiety and panic attacks. Adjusting to university was not easy for me. My anxiety started after graduating from high school in summer 2012. I thought it would get better, but it only got worse. In March/April 2013 I sought coubselling at the HCDS with Dr. Arunima Khanna, who has sent a letter to help my appeal. I realized the anxiety went too far without me realizing. My university experience changed. I was afraid of public speaking and had social anxiety in particular. I stopped attending my tutorials due to the fear of small classes (fewer people there are, the more attention one gets). I only chose courses in the 2013-2014 semesters that did not have tutorials and were big in size (apart from my core courses). CLST 201 was such a course.

During the summer of 2013 I was put on medication (I have submitted the documents regarding this medication). This medication was for easy breathing only. One side effect of this medicine actually increased my anxiety. I did not tell my family or doctor by then and had to disguise my anxiety as something else, that is, breathing problems. As you can see, I have a history of anxiety and panic attacks. In my first semester at Queen¿¿s (fall 2012) I had a lung collapse on the way to class (Arabic class, with a small size of students, which always made me anxious). I eventually dropped this course due to the nervousness I would get in this class. The doctor said the long collapse was related to heavy breathing, due to anxiety.

The same sensation/feeling happened on the way to my CLST 201 exam. I thought my lung collapsed again but was less painful so I thought I could have soldiered through the exam. I had this same uncomfortable feeling throughout the semester but on a less painful scale. I was able to fight the pain, but once this pain went away I started to panic and had a panic attack. I soon started to feel dizzy and was short of breath throughout the entire exam. I wanted to go to the hospital or go home and rest. That was the only thought in my mind. I was not in the right frame f mind to write the exam and got done with it as quick as possible. This caused me to fail my final exam.

I only had one more exam apart from CLST 201. The reason why I did not have a panic attack then was because I had my friend with me in that class and he was talking to me and calming my nerves. Also, CLST 201 was the first exam of the Winter 2014 semester, it was a lot of information and I was under tremendous amount of pressure. I was not able to get this same boost of morale from anyone in CLST 201.

As you can see, my time at Queen¿¿s had been hampered by anxiety and panic attacks (both major and minor) and at times depression.

This year I¿¿m hoping for a fresh start. I visited Germany recently and I loved the country and the people. My brother is doing an exchange there. This has inspired me to pursue a Medial German Studies at Queen¿¿s, and I will be doing a Medial in Psychology as well, as to understand human thinking and behaviour. My own battle with mental health has inspired me to study Psychology.

If I can get CLST 201 dropped, I will be forever grateful and would very much appreciate it. That is an understatement but I don¿¿t know how else to say it. So, please drop this course from my transcript so that my GPA is not affected. I will seek continuous counselling and I will beat this anxiety, so that I never have to feel like that again and never have to appeal a grade. I have already emailed Dr. Mike Condra and will be figuring out how to get counselling while I am back home in Toronto. When I return to Kingston, I will continue to visit my counsellor.

I will be awaiting your decision eagerly,

Thank you,

Take care.

Safwan Dadabhoy