Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hi there,

My name is Giorgia Binnendyk, I am a 3rd year student at Queen's, and I am a Political Studies major. Over the course of my time here in Kingston, I have developed a severe anxiety disorder. I have been formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and I have met with therapists as well as councillors to help deal with this problem. My anxiety is directly related to school, I have extremely high expectations for myself, and spend almost all of my hours throughout the day worrying about school or trying to complete an assignment. My academic anxiety is debilitating, and it makes it incredibly hard for me to juggle a heavy course load, let alone live a balanced life. Since the beginning of my third year, I have had 3 panic attacks that have led to me passing out. One of these episodes actually resulted in me sustaining a minor concussion, as I hit my head after losing consciousness. I really wanted to push myself this year and take 4 courses, but it has proven to be too much for me to handle. FILM 341 is an amazing course, but it is one that does not contribute to me obtaining my degree directly. If it would be possible for me to drop FILM 341, that would be endlessly appreciated. By taking 3 courses instead of 4, I would be less overwhelmed and hopefully be able to live a more balanced life. With my last panic attack having been this past Monday, I want nothing more than to be able to complete my work without feeling such an overwhelming sense of dread.

Thank you,

Giorgia