Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

I am writing to appeal dropping the course CHEM 112, after the deadline. I would like to drop this course due to my poor grade caused by my intense struggles with mental health this semester. I have taken CHEM 112 previously, and passed the course in my first year at Queen¿¿s, but reenrolled in hopes of getting a higher grade, and transferring into the Faculty of Engineering. Obviously, I have struggled greatly and did not put in the effort that I thought I would this year. I have always, and continue to take my studies seriously while dealing with depression, although this is not reflected within my CHEM 112 grades, which I am not proud of.

I have struggled with depression for five years, and considering the pandemic, it has gotten significantly worse. I found it difficult to join meetings and tutorials, complete assignments on time and do assessments. Besides academic issues, I have also lost interest in everything that has previously brought me joy, or relieve stress, and it has since been a continuous cycle. I also found it defeating to come to terms with my depression coming back in early February after a few easier months, and denied the fact that I very clearly needed help. I have now accepted that depression is a part of my life and while I may not be able to permanently solve it, I realize that there are options for help and have taken the necessary steps towards recovery. I plan to focus on healing myself and put considerably more effort into my summer courses.

To begin to heal I have reached out to my therapist and have created a plan to ensure I can maintain my studies whilst treating my depression. This plan began with taking the step to return to my mother¿¿s home in Nova Scotia instead of staying in Kingston for the remainder of the semester. I have actively engaged with my counsellor in Nova Scotia since returning last week and the help has already made a significant difference. I have begun to do my school work in a different area, my local library, and leaving my room to be a place of comfort, instead of stress. I have also been following a routine, ensuring there is time for me to go for walks, and speak to friends, to give myself breaks.

I understand this may seem contradictory as I explain how grades are very important to me, but it is not reflected within my courses. Although I struggle, I always attempt to maintain a positive attitude and try my best when I feel up to it. I feel so much gratitude to be able to attend Queen¿¿s and I believe this semester does not reflect me as a student. I hope that this letter does not leave behind an impression of irresponsibility and I believe the steps that I have started to take will allow me to improve my academics.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

Hannah MacKaracher (she/her)