Petition Letter
I am appealing for an extension for incomplete grades in classes PSYC 204 and BIOL 103. Due to a debilitating physical illness suffered throughout the last two months of the winter semester (2019), I was unable to take my PSYC 204 and BIOL 103 final exams as scheduled. The exams were, therefore, pushed to the beginning of the fall 2019 semester.
Over the summer, I enrolled in PSYC 100 as I have aspirations to be a Psychology major and this course is a requirement. Due to other extenuating circumstances for which I have accommodations, I was unable to write the exam during the session and deferred both the midterm and the final until the beginning of the fall 2019 semester. This change in timing culminated to my having to write three very important exams in four days.
I studied for my exams throughout the entirety of August. I put myself on a vigorous study schedule that theoretically should have made me feel prepared for my exams. Because of this, I was actually able to take my PSYC 100 midterm, the first of the exams, successfully. After this exam, I went to speak to the professor of my PSYC 100 and PSYC 204 classes about the possibility of deferring, at the very least, my PSYC 100 exam. I was informed that deferring either exam was not possible without an appeal. The appeal process generally makes me incredibly nervous so I opted to take all my exams. With three exams in such quick succession, I started to become very distressed and had several panic attacks which resulted in my inability to study prior to the tests. I also began to experience periods in which I desired to hurt myself and in some instances followed through.
I have experience dealing with my regular symptoms of anxiety but this reaction is entirely new to me and is not something that is taken into account with my accommodations. This new development was incredibly distressing to me. I could no longer think of anything other than my desire to harm myself for the next few days. I was unable to study, eat, or retain any information whatsoever regardless of its reaction to any of my finals, which lead to me missing several important appointments, one of which was with my accommodations advisor in which I intended to discuss these new symptoms. Fortunately, I could be monitored, and met with a counsellor, as well as my accommodations advisor at a later date.
This new reaction was incredibly disturbing and so I elected to not take my exams fearful that it would induce enough stress for me to continue with self-harming behaviour. Similar symptoms appear whenever particularly important academic events come up, such as exams, projects, and even choosing partners. I am still battling with these symptoms and working hard to overcome them but it appears that I need more help with scheduling and taking exams. I would like to extend the incomplete until the end of the Fall 2019 semester in the hopes that I will be able to better control these symptoms so that I may take my exams.
Diana Ingham
20024622
Over the summer, I enrolled in PSYC 100 as I have aspirations to be a Psychology major and this course is a requirement. Due to other extenuating circumstances for which I have accommodations, I was unable to write the exam during the session and deferred both the midterm and the final until the beginning of the fall 2019 semester. This change in timing culminated to my having to write three very important exams in four days.
I studied for my exams throughout the entirety of August. I put myself on a vigorous study schedule that theoretically should have made me feel prepared for my exams. Because of this, I was actually able to take my PSYC 100 midterm, the first of the exams, successfully. After this exam, I went to speak to the professor of my PSYC 100 and PSYC 204 classes about the possibility of deferring, at the very least, my PSYC 100 exam. I was informed that deferring either exam was not possible without an appeal. The appeal process generally makes me incredibly nervous so I opted to take all my exams. With three exams in such quick succession, I started to become very distressed and had several panic attacks which resulted in my inability to study prior to the tests. I also began to experience periods in which I desired to hurt myself and in some instances followed through.
I have experience dealing with my regular symptoms of anxiety but this reaction is entirely new to me and is not something that is taken into account with my accommodations. This new development was incredibly distressing to me. I could no longer think of anything other than my desire to harm myself for the next few days. I was unable to study, eat, or retain any information whatsoever regardless of its reaction to any of my finals, which lead to me missing several important appointments, one of which was with my accommodations advisor in which I intended to discuss these new symptoms. Fortunately, I could be monitored, and met with a counsellor, as well as my accommodations advisor at a later date.
This new reaction was incredibly disturbing and so I elected to not take my exams fearful that it would induce enough stress for me to continue with self-harming behaviour. Similar symptoms appear whenever particularly important academic events come up, such as exams, projects, and even choosing partners. I am still battling with these symptoms and working hard to overcome them but it appears that I need more help with scheduling and taking exams. I would like to extend the incomplete until the end of the Fall 2019 semester in the hopes that I will be able to better control these symptoms so that I may take my exams.
Diana Ingham
20024622