Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Associate Dean (Academic),

I am writing this letter today to appeal the 21-day deadline for being able to appeal my requirement to withdraw from Queen??s for one year. The extenuating circumstances that has led to me requesting this 21-day deadline appeal so late, and to being asked to withdraw from the school for a year are one and the same.

I have struggled with my mental disorders for years, and they have waxed and waned in severity overtime. At the outset of the pandemic, and particularly starting in January, my mental health began to decline. This downturn in my overall health impacted my academic responsibilities in interlocking ways. Until recently, I had unsuitable treatment for my attention deficits. These deficits have made it difficult for me in the last and prior school terms to be able to sit down at a computer and work for an extended period of time. It is such a frustrating disorder since in my head I have every desire to fulfill my responsibilities, but when I go about doing it I end up just staring at the screen not knowing where to start, or losing focus early on. My difficulties in completing work heightens my anxiety. As my stress increased through the days/weeks/semester, with assignments coming and going unfinished, my anxious self made it increasingly difficult to perform. Some of the ways my anxiety manifests includes projecting negative outcomes into the future, and letting my anxious self be cowered into not seeking help, fearing retaliation or criticism. With my attention deficits and anxiety feeding off each other, and my courses/projects/semester progressing without any progress being made, I sunk into a major depressive episode. My sleep schedule was impacted, and I found it difficult to get out of bed and take care of myself, let alone perform my other responsibilities. My abuse of cannabis for coping made everything worse. Again, these extenuating conditions each fed into each other, creating negative feedback loops for my mental wellbeing. By med-February, I felt as if I was incapacitated.

All of the anxiety, guilt, and shame I was experiencing due to my dismal academic showings led to me becoming detached from others. No one in my life knew the full extent of the psychological torture I was experiencing, and I became increasingly isolated emotionally from all those around me. This is the reason I did not reach out to find a solution. This intense anxiety of potential criticism from the school came from my belief that I would not be believed, since my marks were not the greatest prior to the 2020-2021 school year as well. Many narratives were created in my head about how others would perceive my failings, and since I had closed all outlets for voicing my concerns to others, I felt convinced and trapped by the thoughts I had conjured. It has been this anxious internal narrative of potential criticism, and not knowing if I would be well enough to succeed in my academics when September arrived, that has kept me from reaching out before the mid-June deadline for appealing my requirement to withdraw. I saw it as a waste of mine and everyone??s time and attention if I couldn??t actually do well when September arrived.

When the school year ended in April, I felt I had hit rock bottom. I made the decision that my current situation was unsustainable, and that I had to finally take responsibility, and take care of myself. To that end, I have made great progress in improving my physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. The actions I have taken include:
Opening up to my friends and family about how I have been doing, and learning to let go of the guilt I had been collecting inside myself.
Establishing and maintaining regular communications with my doctor, who also introduced me to a social worker and psychiatrist. I have been working with them in treating my disorders, which includes therapy and medication.
Developing daily/weekly routines and habits to manage my anxiety and depression. Some of these include exercise, journaling, meditation, and a stabilized sleep schedule. I have experienced this summer the first real tangible lessening of my anxious mind, something I previously thought was impossible for myself.
Ceasing any use/abuse of cannabis (currently 4 months sober)

These life changes have allowed me to take back control of my life, and effectively manage my disorders for the first time. They are why I now feel ready to appeal my requirement to withdraw, and state my profound wish to return to my studies at Queen??s this fall. I know that it is very short notice, as the semester begins in just a few weeks. However, if given the opportunity, I will be able to fulfill my academic and personal obligations, given that I now have a foundation on which to do so. I will discuss with an academic counsellor in finding 3-4 courses that I can succeed in, and use the extra time allowed to me by a reduced course load to work with student wellness on improving note taking, studying, writing, and time management. I will use my accommodations granted to me, and work with professors and TA??s in developing a plan to meet learning outcomes. I will also continue to maintain the habits I have adopted to cope with my disorders, and communicate with my health care providers through phone, video-calls, or email.

I am grateful to have been able to access these services to be able to better myself. Being allowed entry back to Queen??s will mean for me having the opportunity to continue to grow on the personal gains and developments that I have made thus far. I cannot overstate how much better I am now compared to my prior self, and how much I wish to be given the opportunity to return to prove it. I am open to any and all conditions that may be attached if given the privilege to return. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and if you have further questions, I will answer them gladly. Take care and be safe Cha Gheill.

Sean Clark
20073036