Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: January 23, 2015

Dear Associate Dean of Studies,

Please accept my appeal application for Aegrotat (AG) standing for my Geology 102 course (Fall 2014.) My final standing does not reflect my academic capability.

The first term of my first year of university was tumultuous. In reflection, I can see the patterns which lead to not only my poor academic performance, but to anxiety and depression that I have never experienced before.

Orientation week was difficult for me. I was only 17 and most of the other students seemed a lot older than me. I was overwhelmed by the social pressure and the sheer numbers of other students. I retreated to the safe haven of my dorm room where I was shielded from the anxiety that the orientation week caused me. I felt a high level of anxiety regarding whether my peers would accept me and it became easier not to participate. This anxiety spilled over into the academic part of university. It became hard to go classes, the library, disability services and resource services. My self esteem was so low that the anxiety became paralyzing.

When I started to struggle in the geology course, the fear caused by the anxiety paralyzed me. The course material became overwhelming and the assignments too difficult to even start. Eventually, I stopped going to many classes and did not hand in my assignments.

Ultimately, I stayed in my room for most of the hours of the day doing the bare minimum for my other courses. I hid my anxiety from my family often just telling them that I was too tired to go out. I was not sleeping because my worrying kept me up most of the night.

It was a relief when the term was over, but I knew that I had to face my parents regarding my poor academic performance. After only a couple of days at home, my parents confronted me. It did not take them long to realized that I was clinically depressed and riddled with anxiety.

Right away, they made appointments for me to see a psychologist and my family doctor. Although it was a difficult time, my parents asked me to trust them. They would navigate me through what I thought was a nightmare both with my personal and academic life.

My ADHD medication was adjusted and it was recommended that I begin Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Kingston. With the recommendation from The Queens Health Services and my doctors in Toronto, I have begun to see Kris Theile, a psychologist in Kingston, on a weekly basis. After only a few sessions, I feel hopeful. This is something that I have not felt in a long time. Some of the goals of the therapy are to work on the anxiety caused by the idea of seeking help from professors, teaching assistants, the disability services and the resource centre.

Now that I am feeling better, I realize that I want to make my experience at Queens a success both socially and academically. This is why, I respectfully, ask you to review my academic record with regard to Geology 102. I believe that an Aegrotat (AG) appeal in this course will benefit my academic standing moving forward.

Thank you for your consideration,
Matthew Young