Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom May It Concern,

I am appealing to drop the class PSYC 251 Developmental Psychology. This class was quite enjoyable and the content was not hard to follow. I feel though, that it is in my best interest that I drop this class. I feel as though I have mentally burnt up from my first year and I need to use the rest of the summer to just recollect to work better for the fall 2021 term. I also had thought that I could pursue psych as a minor as a part of my plan. I, to my knowledge do not know that I can. I feel exhausted and anxious from the year and this has started to impact my social institutions. Whilst I could try to do better in this class with the remaining time I have, I do believe that my work would most likely not be at the standard to which Queen??s holds to its students.

During the school year I have met many pitfalls that have led to this ultimate exhaustion but I have also had many strengths. Covid has played a huge role in my decline of mental and social health this year. I have had an unfortunate high school experience and The Bader International Studies Centre was supposed to be my liberty into a social class that would better suit me. With Covid-19 this opportunity was first excitedly moved to the Winter term, then cancelled completely. This opportunity slipped out of my hands and I stayed home and my first year became an anxious obsession on school and my abilities. The severity of the issue was intense but I cracked on and with the help of the school and my interest in visual arts, I became re-inspired to keep pushing on. I then applied to an in-person art class which I thought was outside of my academic wheelhouse. I had impressed myself with ARTF101. I had many obstacles with this class as I had to move back and forth from Kingston as the in-person class was cancelled and I was the only summer tenant in my house.

After truly seeing my abilities in week 9 and 10 of PSYC 251 , I had decided to try and drop this class which was too late for the last drop day. Just writing this letter I feel like a weight is lifting off my shoulders. I have recently seen the queens mental health services regarding my recent decline in mental health. They have provided me with the tools and a plan to become equipped for the fall term. I have already taken a few steps towards my mental health since I have realized that I burnt out. Since then I have noticed a significant difference in my lifestyle. As I continue my sessions with the Queens mental health services I will strive for better and plan better for my academic future. Whilst I cannot say that I will forever be better after this I can definitely say that I will at least strive to be more prepared.

This year has been quite the ordeal of a year that no one could have imagined. I certainly did not and have suffered in many ways. By dropping this class I am choosing myself and sanity over more chaos. This was not the year or performance I had expected for myself but I do believe with the break in the rest of the summer I can mentally prepare for the Fall 2021 term and for my academic future.

Sincerely Harvey Doniego
20239460