Petition Letter
The following is a rough outline of the circumstances which have led to my requirement to leave the Faculty of Arts and Science for one year. In my first year (fall of 2018) at Queen¿¿s University I was not admitted to my first-choice program. This sent me into a phase of confusion about what direction to take my undergraduate studies at Queen¿¿s University. Entering the year I felt lost about my academic career and it showed up in my coursework. Over the last 30 months I have racked my brain over the education I wish to receive which would help me achieve a career I am fulfilled with. During this first-year my biological father lost his employment and withheld that information with me. Through high school he assured me that we would look after my room and board as well as my tuition. From his resulting unemployment he chewed up his savings and left me stranded as I had not applied for a student loan and was not working part-time to fund my studies. This resulted in me feeling helpless and frustrated. Affecting my studies negatively and resulting in my placement onto academic probation. In May of 2019 I decided to take one year away from university to assess my financial options and academic goals. During this one year I saved up money from my minimum wage job to fund my return to Kingston and Queen¿¿s University - as well as pay off some of my tuition debt I owe Queen¿¿s. My father assured me he would be able to assist me in paying my outstanding fees. To a fault I trusted him and as of today he still has not held up his part of the deal. I have now taken every responsibility into my own hands for my academic and personal future. This affected me in my second year of studies (fall of 2020 to spring 2021).
In addition to the financial circumstances that have derailed my academic career, I also struggled with my mental health over the last semester. I am diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is exhaustive and time consuming and does not easily allow me to achieve the best marks. I can provide a letter from the physician who diagnosed me about a decade ago if requested. He is currently on leave until June 16. My disorder paired with a triggering event sent me into an episode which caused me to leave my apartment abruptly in Kingston and return to my mother¿¿s house in the GTA. Resulting from this I became extremely behind in my studies and with my mental health I battled to catch up. In some courses I was able to achieve a respectable grade - in others not so much. I hope the rare glimpses of good marks can vouch for my wishes to stay within the faculty. This spring I have reached out to a therapist to help me develop coping-mechanisms to help me be successful in my studies. I ask that my previous year away from the faculty be taken into account in the decision of my appeal. I feel stressed about my stage in life, feeling that I am behind my peers. Being 22 I see friends graduating from their schools and it makes me upset. I feel like I am falling too far behind. I fear a second year from university would do more harm than good. I am devoted to being independent from my father. Now independently with help from my therapist, my mother, and my step-father I feel confident and optimistic about my academic future.
In addition to the financial circumstances that have derailed my academic career, I also struggled with my mental health over the last semester. I am diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is exhaustive and time consuming and does not easily allow me to achieve the best marks. I can provide a letter from the physician who diagnosed me about a decade ago if requested. He is currently on leave until June 16. My disorder paired with a triggering event sent me into an episode which caused me to leave my apartment abruptly in Kingston and return to my mother¿¿s house in the GTA. Resulting from this I became extremely behind in my studies and with my mental health I battled to catch up. In some courses I was able to achieve a respectable grade - in others not so much. I hope the rare glimpses of good marks can vouch for my wishes to stay within the faculty. This spring I have reached out to a therapist to help me develop coping-mechanisms to help me be successful in my studies. I ask that my previous year away from the faculty be taken into account in the decision of my appeal. I feel stressed about my stage in life, feeling that I am behind my peers. Being 22 I see friends graduating from their schools and it makes me upset. I feel like I am falling too far behind. I fear a second year from university would do more harm than good. I am devoted to being independent from my father. Now independently with help from my therapist, my mother, and my step-father I feel confident and optimistic about my academic future.