Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean,
I am a first year going into second year Arts and Science student here at Queen¿¿s university. I am appealing the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw form Queen¿¿s for a minimum of one year. Last year, I had an unfortunate family problem beyond my control that directly affected my academic performance. Last year in October, my mother and I saw my father cheating at our own house with another person. Then he also insisted on a divorce. My father and I have always been very close, and I was deeply shocked and hurt so was my mother. What followed were my parents¿¿ messy divorce, the endless lawsuit and my mother¿¿s depression. My mother got worse around Christmas and when I went home for the holidays one day I caught her trying to commit suicide. I was terrified and devastated. After I came back to Queen¿¿s in the second semester, I couldn¿¿t fall asleep at night because I felt like I had to call my mom (there is a 12 hour time difference between us because she went back to China) and check on her in case she does it again, she has been very unstable ever since. That made me exhausted and unable to focus in class. I was traumatized by what I saw and been through in that period of time, I started compulsive behaviors around March last year before exam season. For example, I started going to the bathroom countless times a day when it was unnecessary. I would go to the bathroom 5-6 times within an hour of studying. In March and April, when I was supposed to spend most of my time studying and doing my assignments, instead I was obsessed in spending hours and hours repeatedly doing these useless things such as turning the light on and off, washing my hands, going to the bathroom when it was unnecessary, and just trying to distinguish what¿¿s real and what is an invention of my mind. I believe that all of above severely affected my first year academic performance that I did not give my regular performance.
Luckily, as time passes by, my situation has been stabilized now, and also I'm planning to seek for professional help. I think I will be able to adjust well and continue in my studies in the fall. I hope I can get an opportunity.
Sincerely,
Jiaxu Wei
I am a first year going into second year Arts and Science student here at Queen¿¿s university. I am appealing the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw form Queen¿¿s for a minimum of one year. Last year, I had an unfortunate family problem beyond my control that directly affected my academic performance. Last year in October, my mother and I saw my father cheating at our own house with another person. Then he also insisted on a divorce. My father and I have always been very close, and I was deeply shocked and hurt so was my mother. What followed were my parents¿¿ messy divorce, the endless lawsuit and my mother¿¿s depression. My mother got worse around Christmas and when I went home for the holidays one day I caught her trying to commit suicide. I was terrified and devastated. After I came back to Queen¿¿s in the second semester, I couldn¿¿t fall asleep at night because I felt like I had to call my mom (there is a 12 hour time difference between us because she went back to China) and check on her in case she does it again, she has been very unstable ever since. That made me exhausted and unable to focus in class. I was traumatized by what I saw and been through in that period of time, I started compulsive behaviors around March last year before exam season. For example, I started going to the bathroom countless times a day when it was unnecessary. I would go to the bathroom 5-6 times within an hour of studying. In March and April, when I was supposed to spend most of my time studying and doing my assignments, instead I was obsessed in spending hours and hours repeatedly doing these useless things such as turning the light on and off, washing my hands, going to the bathroom when it was unnecessary, and just trying to distinguish what¿¿s real and what is an invention of my mind. I believe that all of above severely affected my first year academic performance that I did not give my regular performance.
Luckily, as time passes by, my situation has been stabilized now, and also I'm planning to seek for professional help. I think I will be able to adjust well and continue in my studies in the fall. I hope I can get an opportunity.
Sincerely,
Jiaxu Wei