Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am currently a second year student at Queen’s, and I am petitioning to receive credit standing for MATH 121 and MATH 111 (Fall/Winter 2022/2023).
During late fall semester, and winter semester, I had a falling out with a group of friends that I had known in high school and had grown even closer to in university. During this time, I constantly felt extremely lonely and anxious, causing me to avoid going to many classes, as I didn’t know anyone in them. Last year, sitting alone in a class that I perceived to be filled with groups of friends, was very intimidating to me. Though times would come where I felt motivated to go to class, but by this time I had missed so much content resulting in me not understanding what was being taught, leaving me further discouraged and anxious. I am thankful however, as I met many friends that supported and studied with me for classes we had in common, such as COGS 100 and PSYC 100.
Though the symptoms of my condition persisted for months, it was just thought of as me adjusting to university life. It was finally the fact that I had lost so much weight that motivated me to meet with my family physician, where I got a formal diagnosis of moderate depression and severe anxiety. Since then, I have gone to counseling and am consistently taking medication to help me manage this condition. During my second year, I found myself in the same situation where I was in classes without knowing anyone in them, however I was able to overcome this challenge and attend my classes consistently. The management of my anxiety and depression also made me more secure in myself, allowing me to go to class alone and not feel lonely.
Now I am in a program, Geology, that I am passionate about and that makes me happy. From my experiences in first year, I learned how to properly manage my condition, and though I do still experience days where my depression and/or anxiety is heightened, I still manage to go to class and complete homework. I have also learned to become more secure in my friendships, leading to less mental turmoil. Also, as can be seen by my latest grades, I am managing my academics much better.

I hope this letter properly explains my circumstances and shows my commitment to my academics.

Thanks,
Sajini