Petition Letter
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing you today to formally request to waive my requirement to withdraw for the 2024/2025 academic year. I am aware of the significance of this situation, and completely accept responsibility for my actions that resulted in my poor performance over the 2024 Winter Semester. This past year, I was operating under a set of circumstances that were not under my control. I hope to provide you with context for those circumstances as well as how I have prepared myself to re-enter the academic world while holding myself to a high standard.
This past year was completely out of character for me academically, socially, and mental health wise. I was an honour roll student for the entirety of my highschool career, winning various academic awards throughout my four years and graduating as an Ontario Scholar with a French Immersion Certificate. I have always been very passionate about my education; it is a privilege that I value and enjoy. During my many years as an Air Cadet, I became very disciplined and independent, learned how to properly manage my time, and work effectively with others. These are skills that I have re-cultivated over my past few months at home using methods I will later outline.
My family and I were put in many difficult situations over the past year, which caused me to experience mental health problems I had never encountered before. I did not know how to communicate or effectively treat these issues, and it cost me my academic standing. My brother is diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a physical disability that worsens over time. This has been the hardest year for him, meaning it has been the hardest year on our family. Additionally, my uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed very quickly after his diagnosis. His daughter, my cousin, is my best friend. We are extremely close with their family, and watching my uncle deteriorate at a rapid pace and then experiencing the fallout after his death was extremely difficult. The accumulation of all of the heaviness this year caused a strain on my typically wonderful relationship with my family. I could not handle being away from my support system while all of this was going on, and eventually made the decision to return home early and leave my courses incomplete. It is not a decision I am proud of, but I believed it was the best one for me to make at the time for my own wellbeing.
During my time away from school, I made it my mission to better my mental health and relationships so that I could return to my academics with full strength. I began to see a psychologist, who helped me talk through everything I had endured and who continues to provide me with problem-solving skills/strategies on how to resume my positive behaviours. I have also restored routines in my day to day life, as they have always provided me with a sense of balance and structure. My relationships with my family members and friends are stronger than ever after spending lots of quality time together and leaning on each other for support. I can confidently say that I feel like my happy and healthy self again, and the prospect of returning to Queen’s in the fall is extremely exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my situation further and/or provide any additional required information.
Sincerely,
Keira Cheeseman
I am writing you today to formally request to waive my requirement to withdraw for the 2024/2025 academic year. I am aware of the significance of this situation, and completely accept responsibility for my actions that resulted in my poor performance over the 2024 Winter Semester. This past year, I was operating under a set of circumstances that were not under my control. I hope to provide you with context for those circumstances as well as how I have prepared myself to re-enter the academic world while holding myself to a high standard.
This past year was completely out of character for me academically, socially, and mental health wise. I was an honour roll student for the entirety of my highschool career, winning various academic awards throughout my four years and graduating as an Ontario Scholar with a French Immersion Certificate. I have always been very passionate about my education; it is a privilege that I value and enjoy. During my many years as an Air Cadet, I became very disciplined and independent, learned how to properly manage my time, and work effectively with others. These are skills that I have re-cultivated over my past few months at home using methods I will later outline.
My family and I were put in many difficult situations over the past year, which caused me to experience mental health problems I had never encountered before. I did not know how to communicate or effectively treat these issues, and it cost me my academic standing. My brother is diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a physical disability that worsens over time. This has been the hardest year for him, meaning it has been the hardest year on our family. Additionally, my uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed very quickly after his diagnosis. His daughter, my cousin, is my best friend. We are extremely close with their family, and watching my uncle deteriorate at a rapid pace and then experiencing the fallout after his death was extremely difficult. The accumulation of all of the heaviness this year caused a strain on my typically wonderful relationship with my family. I could not handle being away from my support system while all of this was going on, and eventually made the decision to return home early and leave my courses incomplete. It is not a decision I am proud of, but I believed it was the best one for me to make at the time for my own wellbeing.
During my time away from school, I made it my mission to better my mental health and relationships so that I could return to my academics with full strength. I began to see a psychologist, who helped me talk through everything I had endured and who continues to provide me with problem-solving skills/strategies on how to resume my positive behaviours. I have also restored routines in my day to day life, as they have always provided me with a sense of balance and structure. My relationships with my family members and friends are stronger than ever after spending lots of quality time together and leaning on each other for support. I can confidently say that I feel like my happy and healthy self again, and the prospect of returning to Queen’s in the fall is extremely exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my situation further and/or provide any additional required information.
Sincerely,
Keira Cheeseman