Petition Letter
To The Associate Dean of Studies,
My name is Eirinn Chisholm and I am a second year Health Studies major and Global Development Minor. I am appealing to drop ANAT 101 (Winter 2018) late. The extenuating circumstances that have affected my academic performance is my current struggle with anxiety and depression and the affect that the medication has been having on my sleeping patterns. I decided to seek help for these issues after returning from the winter break and started on a new medication Escitalopram, which had a side effect of extreme fatigue and therefore made it extremely hard for me to wake up in the morning as was causing me to sleep over 10 hours a night. This fatigue caused by my medication has been a reason why I have missed morning classes as I felt physically unable to get out of bed in the morning. My anxiety and depression, especially surrounding the winter months has also extremely affected my academics as I have low motivation to work and I also get extremely stressed out very easily. Currently I have been going through other issues with my family and relationships which have also added an extra stressor to my situation.
The reason that I would be looking to drop specifically ANAT 101 is because this is my most challenging course that is causing me extreme levels of stress. It is the course that I work the hardest in and yet my grades are just passed failing and I have had to set other courses on the back burner in order to try and focus on this course. With my existing anxiety, the testing style of this course also adds another layer as I get overly stressed and anxious in the ¿¿bell ringer¿ portions of testing and draw blanks even when I feel as if I have greatly prepared. Although I am aware that this course is mandatory, I think it would be better for me to take it or ANAT 100 at a time that I feel more mentally calm and able to focus on the memorization tasks in this class. I have changed medications in order to try and combat the issues with sleep that came with the old one. I am also now working with a counsellor in Kingston in order to try and deal with my existing anxiety and depression.
For my future plan, I plan to look into taking ANAT 100 online through Queen¿¿s either over the summer or possibly in the fall season of 2018. I will also continue to work with my counsellor on dealing with my pre-existing issues as well as continue taking my new medication. I believe that dropping ANAT 101 for this semester will greatly help me be able to focus on my other courses, some of which I am also struggling in, because I will have more time and energy to focus on them. I have consulted with an academic advisor and have been told that I am able to complete all my requirements even if I do not catch up in this course over the summer and I am on track currently for all my other requirements. I really would like to make improvements in my other courses this semester, and I believe that dropping ANAT 101 will help me do that.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Eirinn Chisholm
My name is Eirinn Chisholm and I am a second year Health Studies major and Global Development Minor. I am appealing to drop ANAT 101 (Winter 2018) late. The extenuating circumstances that have affected my academic performance is my current struggle with anxiety and depression and the affect that the medication has been having on my sleeping patterns. I decided to seek help for these issues after returning from the winter break and started on a new medication Escitalopram, which had a side effect of extreme fatigue and therefore made it extremely hard for me to wake up in the morning as was causing me to sleep over 10 hours a night. This fatigue caused by my medication has been a reason why I have missed morning classes as I felt physically unable to get out of bed in the morning. My anxiety and depression, especially surrounding the winter months has also extremely affected my academics as I have low motivation to work and I also get extremely stressed out very easily. Currently I have been going through other issues with my family and relationships which have also added an extra stressor to my situation.
The reason that I would be looking to drop specifically ANAT 101 is because this is my most challenging course that is causing me extreme levels of stress. It is the course that I work the hardest in and yet my grades are just passed failing and I have had to set other courses on the back burner in order to try and focus on this course. With my existing anxiety, the testing style of this course also adds another layer as I get overly stressed and anxious in the ¿¿bell ringer¿ portions of testing and draw blanks even when I feel as if I have greatly prepared. Although I am aware that this course is mandatory, I think it would be better for me to take it or ANAT 100 at a time that I feel more mentally calm and able to focus on the memorization tasks in this class. I have changed medications in order to try and combat the issues with sleep that came with the old one. I am also now working with a counsellor in Kingston in order to try and deal with my existing anxiety and depression.
For my future plan, I plan to look into taking ANAT 100 online through Queen¿¿s either over the summer or possibly in the fall season of 2018. I will also continue to work with my counsellor on dealing with my pre-existing issues as well as continue taking my new medication. I believe that dropping ANAT 101 for this semester will greatly help me be able to focus on my other courses, some of which I am also struggling in, because I will have more time and energy to focus on them. I have consulted with an academic advisor and have been told that I am able to complete all my requirements even if I do not catch up in this course over the summer and I am on track currently for all my other requirements. I really would like to make improvements in my other courses this semester, and I believe that dropping ANAT 101 will help me do that.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Eirinn Chisholm