Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing to formally petition for a late drop for the following courses: CHEM 223 (Winter 2025), PHGY 215 (Fall 2024 and Winter 2025), PHGY 216 (Winter 2025), and MICR 221 (Winter 2025).
At the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, I was experiencing significant mental health challenges that were triggered by my best friend’s attempted suicide. This event resurfaced my own longstanding mental health struggles and had a profound impact on my ability to function academically and personally. During this time, my mental health also began to affect my physical health, and I was experiencing frequent illness, often every two to three weeks.
Throughout the semester, I struggled with basic daily tasks such as getting out of bed, eating regularly, attending classes, completing assignments, and maintaining social connections. I found it extremely difficult to focus and keep up with the academic workload. While I did submit some assignments on time, the work I produced did not accurately reflect my understanding or academic ability due to the state I was in at the time.
In hindsight, it would have been best for me to drop these courses earlier to reduce my course load. However, at the time, I did not fully understand the implications of the course drop deadlines and did not realize that late drops might be an option available to me under these circumstances. I also believed that my mental health challenges would be short-term and that I would be able to recover quickly enough to salvage my grades. As of November 1st, I still believed I could pass my courses despite my mental health being at its lowest.
Toward the end of the Fall semester, in December 2024, I was able to meet with a counsellor at the Student Wellness Centre. During this appointment, I discussed the events earlier in the semester and my ongoing struggles. I was provided with coping strategies such as grounding techniques, structured daily routines, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and strategies to process emotions more effectively. I was also advised to pursue ongoing therapy for longer-term support.
Most of the courses included in this petition were taken during the Winter 2025 semester. Although I attempted to implement the coping strategies suggested during my counselling appointment, I continued to struggle with my mental and physical health. I was still frequently ill and experienced recurring periods of one to two weeks where I was unable to complete academic work or maintain daily routines. During the Winter course drop period, I was in one of these periods of significant difficulty, which further limited my ability to make informed academic decisions at that time.
From the time of the original deadline to the present, these mental health challenges were ongoing and continued to significantly impair my ability to advocate for myself and navigate administrative processes such as initiating a formal petition. During this period, I was largely focused on managing day-to-day functioning, recurring illness, and basic academic responsibilities to the extent that I was able. Tasks that required planning, decision-making, and follow-through, such as understanding petition procedures, gathering documentation, and submitting a formal request, were overwhelming and often felt unmanageable. It was only after experiencing sustained improvement in my mental health, establishing consistent medical support through my family physician, and regaining stability in my daily functioning that I was able to fully understand my options and initiate this petition. This improvement has occurred gradually over the past several months and directly enabled me to take action at this time.
Over the summer, I came to recognize that I needed more consistent and professional support. I met with my family physician to discuss my mental health concerns in detail and requested a referral to a psychiatrist. We are currently in the process of finding an appropriate fit to continue my care. While I acknowledge that seeking this support earlier would have been ideal, I wanted to first assess whether the coping strategies recommended by Student Wellness would be sufficient.
Since implementing these changes, I have noticed a significant improvement in my ability to manage stress, regulate my emotions, and maintain daily responsibilities. Over the past several months, I have been able to balance two part-time jobs, maintain social relationships, and manage my academic responsibilities without becoming overwhelmed or experiencing severe depressive episodes.
Looking forward, I plan to retake CHEM 223, PHGY 215, PHGY 216, and MICR 221 during this academic year with a renewed focus and improved support system in place. I am deeply motivated to complete my Life Sciences degree and to improve my academic standing so that I may apply to Nursing in the upcoming admissions cycle. This goal is something I have been actively working toward for the past six months.
I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration of my petition. I am grateful for the opportunity to explain my circumstances and would be extremely thankful for the chance to repair my academic record and continue my education with the lessons and support I now have in place.
Kind regards,
Manmeet Gill
I am writing to formally petition for a late drop for the following courses: CHEM 223 (Winter 2025), PHGY 215 (Fall 2024 and Winter 2025), PHGY 216 (Winter 2025), and MICR 221 (Winter 2025).
At the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, I was experiencing significant mental health challenges that were triggered by my best friend’s attempted suicide. This event resurfaced my own longstanding mental health struggles and had a profound impact on my ability to function academically and personally. During this time, my mental health also began to affect my physical health, and I was experiencing frequent illness, often every two to three weeks.
Throughout the semester, I struggled with basic daily tasks such as getting out of bed, eating regularly, attending classes, completing assignments, and maintaining social connections. I found it extremely difficult to focus and keep up with the academic workload. While I did submit some assignments on time, the work I produced did not accurately reflect my understanding or academic ability due to the state I was in at the time.
In hindsight, it would have been best for me to drop these courses earlier to reduce my course load. However, at the time, I did not fully understand the implications of the course drop deadlines and did not realize that late drops might be an option available to me under these circumstances. I also believed that my mental health challenges would be short-term and that I would be able to recover quickly enough to salvage my grades. As of November 1st, I still believed I could pass my courses despite my mental health being at its lowest.
Toward the end of the Fall semester, in December 2024, I was able to meet with a counsellor at the Student Wellness Centre. During this appointment, I discussed the events earlier in the semester and my ongoing struggles. I was provided with coping strategies such as grounding techniques, structured daily routines, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and strategies to process emotions more effectively. I was also advised to pursue ongoing therapy for longer-term support.
Most of the courses included in this petition were taken during the Winter 2025 semester. Although I attempted to implement the coping strategies suggested during my counselling appointment, I continued to struggle with my mental and physical health. I was still frequently ill and experienced recurring periods of one to two weeks where I was unable to complete academic work or maintain daily routines. During the Winter course drop period, I was in one of these periods of significant difficulty, which further limited my ability to make informed academic decisions at that time.
From the time of the original deadline to the present, these mental health challenges were ongoing and continued to significantly impair my ability to advocate for myself and navigate administrative processes such as initiating a formal petition. During this period, I was largely focused on managing day-to-day functioning, recurring illness, and basic academic responsibilities to the extent that I was able. Tasks that required planning, decision-making, and follow-through, such as understanding petition procedures, gathering documentation, and submitting a formal request, were overwhelming and often felt unmanageable. It was only after experiencing sustained improvement in my mental health, establishing consistent medical support through my family physician, and regaining stability in my daily functioning that I was able to fully understand my options and initiate this petition. This improvement has occurred gradually over the past several months and directly enabled me to take action at this time.
Over the summer, I came to recognize that I needed more consistent and professional support. I met with my family physician to discuss my mental health concerns in detail and requested a referral to a psychiatrist. We are currently in the process of finding an appropriate fit to continue my care. While I acknowledge that seeking this support earlier would have been ideal, I wanted to first assess whether the coping strategies recommended by Student Wellness would be sufficient.
Since implementing these changes, I have noticed a significant improvement in my ability to manage stress, regulate my emotions, and maintain daily responsibilities. Over the past several months, I have been able to balance two part-time jobs, maintain social relationships, and manage my academic responsibilities without becoming overwhelmed or experiencing severe depressive episodes.
Looking forward, I plan to retake CHEM 223, PHGY 215, PHGY 216, and MICR 221 during this academic year with a renewed focus and improved support system in place. I am deeply motivated to complete my Life Sciences degree and to improve my academic standing so that I may apply to Nursing in the upcoming admissions cycle. This goal is something I have been actively working toward for the past six months.
I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration of my petition. I am grateful for the opportunity to explain my circumstances and would be extremely thankful for the chance to repair my academic record and continue my education with the lessons and support I now have in place.
Kind regards,
Manmeet Gill