Petition Letter
Jack T. Thompson 10198580
Kinesiology Class of 2019
61 Cherry Blossom Crescent, Courtice, ON, L1E1G6
(905) 447-8940 15jtt@queensu.ca
October 21, 2016
TO:
Dr. Johanne Bénard -- Associate Dean of Studies
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Queens University
Dear Associate Dean Bénard,
I am appealing to have the 21-day appeal deadline waived so that I may submit a subsequent appeal which includes multiple requests in relation to courses from both the winter term of 2016, and the summer term of 2016. My academic performance during both of these terms was seriously disrupted by a severe mental health crisis of which I have only very recently recovered from, and am working towards preventing in the future.
Approaching September of 2015, I visited my family doctor in response to developing some anxiety-related symptoms. My doctor expressed that it isn't uncommon to see some of these symptoms in students approaching university, although some of the more serious symptoms could be cause for alarm if they increased in severity. These symptoms persisted throughout the fall term of 2015 without much change until late December where they began to intensify at an exponential rate. Panic attacks became a daily occurrence, I began to feel depressed, sleep became poor and uncommon, and I could only manage a meal a day as my condition worsened. I began having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning due to my lack of energy and motivation. After an incredibly severe episode of anxiety, I was brought to the Kingston General Hospital by a close friend of mine, where I was prescribed anti-anxiety medication for my condition, and was arranged to meet with a mental health specialist to talk through my situation. I started missing lectures more and more frequently throughout the winter term. By mid-February, I had lost an alarming amount of weight, and was too weak and depressed to leave my bed for periods as long as days at a time. I missed countless lectures and submission dates for online assignments in many of my classes causing my grades to slip further and further down. After returning home after exams, I visited my local clinic where I was confirmed to suffer from anxiety and depression, and I was prescribed more anti-anxiety medication as well as therapy, and a mobile phone app designed to help with depression. During the summer my mental illness reach its peak as I began to experience extremely severe symptoms including hallucinations and a constant feeling of imminent doom. Throughout the summer I worked to fight my mental illness with very little progress until late September.
In late September and early October, my symptoms started to wear off gradually and have not redeveloped since. I intend to work as hard as possible to ensure that my mental illness is cured and will not return again. I've decided to take an easier course load this year to allow myself to have less stress throughout the week as I am still recovering. I will be speaking with Queens counselling services, as well as Learning Strategies for advisement in regards to my studies and dealing with my mental illness while at school.
The documentation that I am attaching at the time of submission is the medical report from my visit to the Kingston General Hospital in February. I will be visiting home this following weekend to see my family doctor, at which point I will be able to supply further medical documentation regarding my condition during the summer of 2016.
Thank you for your consideration,
Jack Thompson
Kinesiology Class of 2019
61 Cherry Blossom Crescent, Courtice, ON, L1E1G6
(905) 447-8940 15jtt@queensu.ca
October 21, 2016
TO:
Dr. Johanne Bénard -- Associate Dean of Studies
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Queens University
Dear Associate Dean Bénard,
I am appealing to have the 21-day appeal deadline waived so that I may submit a subsequent appeal which includes multiple requests in relation to courses from both the winter term of 2016, and the summer term of 2016. My academic performance during both of these terms was seriously disrupted by a severe mental health crisis of which I have only very recently recovered from, and am working towards preventing in the future.
Approaching September of 2015, I visited my family doctor in response to developing some anxiety-related symptoms. My doctor expressed that it isn't uncommon to see some of these symptoms in students approaching university, although some of the more serious symptoms could be cause for alarm if they increased in severity. These symptoms persisted throughout the fall term of 2015 without much change until late December where they began to intensify at an exponential rate. Panic attacks became a daily occurrence, I began to feel depressed, sleep became poor and uncommon, and I could only manage a meal a day as my condition worsened. I began having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning due to my lack of energy and motivation. After an incredibly severe episode of anxiety, I was brought to the Kingston General Hospital by a close friend of mine, where I was prescribed anti-anxiety medication for my condition, and was arranged to meet with a mental health specialist to talk through my situation. I started missing lectures more and more frequently throughout the winter term. By mid-February, I had lost an alarming amount of weight, and was too weak and depressed to leave my bed for periods as long as days at a time. I missed countless lectures and submission dates for online assignments in many of my classes causing my grades to slip further and further down. After returning home after exams, I visited my local clinic where I was confirmed to suffer from anxiety and depression, and I was prescribed more anti-anxiety medication as well as therapy, and a mobile phone app designed to help with depression. During the summer my mental illness reach its peak as I began to experience extremely severe symptoms including hallucinations and a constant feeling of imminent doom. Throughout the summer I worked to fight my mental illness with very little progress until late September.
In late September and early October, my symptoms started to wear off gradually and have not redeveloped since. I intend to work as hard as possible to ensure that my mental illness is cured and will not return again. I've decided to take an easier course load this year to allow myself to have less stress throughout the week as I am still recovering. I will be speaking with Queens counselling services, as well as Learning Strategies for advisement in regards to my studies and dealing with my mental illness while at school.
The documentation that I am attaching at the time of submission is the medical report from my visit to the Kingston General Hospital in February. I will be visiting home this following weekend to see my family doctor, at which point I will be able to supply further medical documentation regarding my condition during the summer of 2016.
Thank you for your consideration,
Jack Thompson