Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Stephenson,
I write asking for a credit reduction in consideration of extenuating circumstances that affected my ability to perform in school during the 2022-2023 academic year. Although I believe that my overall transcript does not accurately reflect myself as a student, the final grades of D- in CHEM 212 and F in CHEM 223 are especially outlying and were a direct result of my physical and mental unhealthiness.
Throughout the 2022 Fall semester, I was physically ill for a majority of the semester. I often had trouble getting out of bed, and was challenged to breathe when physically active in any regard including walking on campus. I was unable to attend many classes, was exhausted all of the time, had trouble focusing, and did not have the capacity to study or learn as was needed for my courses. At the time, I was part of the Novice Rowing Program here at Queen’s and as a result of my illness missed a significant amount of the racing season, and even more of the winter build during the second half of the semester. I had trouble taking care of myself and had to go home for over a week mid semester. I attended multiple doctors appointments at student wellness where I got absolutely no help, answers or diagnosis other than best wishes in getting better. I tried every kind of immune booster, vitamin, and supplement I could find to try and help my body, with limited success and still suffer from lingering respiratory inhibitions to this day. During all of this I was trying my absolute hardest to keep it together for my other classes so that something could be salvaged from the semester causing an insufficient effort to be placed on CHEM 212 coursework. I tried my best and did learn a lot from Dr. Graham, but combining the physical symptoms with my pre-existing post concussion syndrome made it very challenging to be successful in his class, resulting in a much lower grade than possible for me. I ask for a credit reduction in this case as my physical state disabled my learning despite my best efforts at resolution.
Over the break between semesters I was able to recover enough to be physically functional again, and started the Winter 2023 semester with high hopes. The first few weeks were strong with good marks in each of my classes, and I was attending rowing practice as programmed. Unfortunately, each week that passed became mentally more and more taxing. I also became physically ill again and again, causing me to all but quit rowing. I entered a major depressive episode of no clear trigger, and quickly became suicidal. In March I was brought to Kingston General Hospital before I was able to cause harm to myself or others. I was referred to the Hotel Dieu psychiatry outpatient program, with an initial appointment at the end of April, after the semester was already complete. Then, I was diagnosed by Dr. Ali with major depressive disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and borderline personality disorder. It is believed that the same concussion that caused post concussion syndrome also caused or amplified ADHD, which had been undiagnosed since the concussion in 2019 and aided in dysregulation caused by ongoing BPD since then too. I was prescribed medication for the adhd, and referred to a DBT rehabilitation program for borderline personality disorder. To create a full illustration, from just before reading week through to the end of the semester I was literally fighting to stay alive, had undiagnosed and treated ADHD and BPD (which has actually been in great effect since first year), was still physically suffering as the same illness from fall semester was never fully resolved, dealt with post concussion syndrome, and also began suffering from intense unidentifiable uterine pain of which I had many more doctors appointments for and have still not resolved presently. Despite all of this I was able to achieve Bs and As in most of my classes with the exception being CHEM 223, Organic Reactions. This is already an extremely challenging class where most students fail midterms or finals and curves were necessary for students to pass, and many students retake it following years. My circumstances significantly set me back from other students and the required abilities to be able to attempt to complete the class. I was again forced to focus on my other classes so that I could at least do okay in those ones, and as a result passed the lab section (a strong suit) but failed the course portion of 223. I am enrolled to retake it in the 2024 winter semester and ask that F grade be removed from my transcript as I do not want my mental health challenges to define me or affect my future.
The drop deadline in week 8 does not offer any financial compensation, and dropping a course with no money back is not a luxury I could afford. I just kept thinking if I could work harder then I could pull it together, I just had to do better. I now know it was not my fault or lack of effort, I really was doing the best I could. Upon reflection, dropping either class would have made sense, but that didn’t seem like an option at the time and no one advised me as such especially since I am already at a reduced course load.
What was most challenging was realizing how much help I needed, and that it wasn’t normal to feel like I did both academically and outside of school. I have since started medications to aid both ADHD and BPD, am working with a psychotherapist weekly, and have just been put in touch with Gail the learning specialist here at Queen’s. I am working very hard to understand how my brain really learns and what it care it needs to nurture its neurodivergence, and adjust my accommodations to include strategies I can implement in the classroom, exam room, and study time for each class that will truly click so that I can be as successful as I have the potential to be. My ongoing efforts are helping me to recover little by little but there is still a long way to go. The difference is I now have a support team that has my back and am not fighting alone.
I thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for considering my request for credit reductions to help mend the damage done by physical and mental setbacks.
Katherine Brewer
I write asking for a credit reduction in consideration of extenuating circumstances that affected my ability to perform in school during the 2022-2023 academic year. Although I believe that my overall transcript does not accurately reflect myself as a student, the final grades of D- in CHEM 212 and F in CHEM 223 are especially outlying and were a direct result of my physical and mental unhealthiness.
Throughout the 2022 Fall semester, I was physically ill for a majority of the semester. I often had trouble getting out of bed, and was challenged to breathe when physically active in any regard including walking on campus. I was unable to attend many classes, was exhausted all of the time, had trouble focusing, and did not have the capacity to study or learn as was needed for my courses. At the time, I was part of the Novice Rowing Program here at Queen’s and as a result of my illness missed a significant amount of the racing season, and even more of the winter build during the second half of the semester. I had trouble taking care of myself and had to go home for over a week mid semester. I attended multiple doctors appointments at student wellness where I got absolutely no help, answers or diagnosis other than best wishes in getting better. I tried every kind of immune booster, vitamin, and supplement I could find to try and help my body, with limited success and still suffer from lingering respiratory inhibitions to this day. During all of this I was trying my absolute hardest to keep it together for my other classes so that something could be salvaged from the semester causing an insufficient effort to be placed on CHEM 212 coursework. I tried my best and did learn a lot from Dr. Graham, but combining the physical symptoms with my pre-existing post concussion syndrome made it very challenging to be successful in his class, resulting in a much lower grade than possible for me. I ask for a credit reduction in this case as my physical state disabled my learning despite my best efforts at resolution.
Over the break between semesters I was able to recover enough to be physically functional again, and started the Winter 2023 semester with high hopes. The first few weeks were strong with good marks in each of my classes, and I was attending rowing practice as programmed. Unfortunately, each week that passed became mentally more and more taxing. I also became physically ill again and again, causing me to all but quit rowing. I entered a major depressive episode of no clear trigger, and quickly became suicidal. In March I was brought to Kingston General Hospital before I was able to cause harm to myself or others. I was referred to the Hotel Dieu psychiatry outpatient program, with an initial appointment at the end of April, after the semester was already complete. Then, I was diagnosed by Dr. Ali with major depressive disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and borderline personality disorder. It is believed that the same concussion that caused post concussion syndrome also caused or amplified ADHD, which had been undiagnosed since the concussion in 2019 and aided in dysregulation caused by ongoing BPD since then too. I was prescribed medication for the adhd, and referred to a DBT rehabilitation program for borderline personality disorder. To create a full illustration, from just before reading week through to the end of the semester I was literally fighting to stay alive, had undiagnosed and treated ADHD and BPD (which has actually been in great effect since first year), was still physically suffering as the same illness from fall semester was never fully resolved, dealt with post concussion syndrome, and also began suffering from intense unidentifiable uterine pain of which I had many more doctors appointments for and have still not resolved presently. Despite all of this I was able to achieve Bs and As in most of my classes with the exception being CHEM 223, Organic Reactions. This is already an extremely challenging class where most students fail midterms or finals and curves were necessary for students to pass, and many students retake it following years. My circumstances significantly set me back from other students and the required abilities to be able to attempt to complete the class. I was again forced to focus on my other classes so that I could at least do okay in those ones, and as a result passed the lab section (a strong suit) but failed the course portion of 223. I am enrolled to retake it in the 2024 winter semester and ask that F grade be removed from my transcript as I do not want my mental health challenges to define me or affect my future.
The drop deadline in week 8 does not offer any financial compensation, and dropping a course with no money back is not a luxury I could afford. I just kept thinking if I could work harder then I could pull it together, I just had to do better. I now know it was not my fault or lack of effort, I really was doing the best I could. Upon reflection, dropping either class would have made sense, but that didn’t seem like an option at the time and no one advised me as such especially since I am already at a reduced course load.
What was most challenging was realizing how much help I needed, and that it wasn’t normal to feel like I did both academically and outside of school. I have since started medications to aid both ADHD and BPD, am working with a psychotherapist weekly, and have just been put in touch with Gail the learning specialist here at Queen’s. I am working very hard to understand how my brain really learns and what it care it needs to nurture its neurodivergence, and adjust my accommodations to include strategies I can implement in the classroom, exam room, and study time for each class that will truly click so that I can be as successful as I have the potential to be. My ongoing efforts are helping me to recover little by little but there is still a long way to go. The difference is I now have a support team that has my back and am not fighting alone.
I thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for considering my request for credit reductions to help mend the damage done by physical and mental setbacks.
Katherine Brewer