Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean Stephenson,
I am writing to you in regards to being granted the following grades be dropped from my transcript. I request that ENGL 101, PHIL 111A, PHIL111B, POLS 242, SOCY 122A, SOCY 122B, DEVS 101, and HLTH 101 be dropped from my transcript as late drops. I understand that my academic performance at Queens has not been up to the standards of the university nor of my self. These are matters at which I could found very hard control. I appreciate the opportunity to explain my extenuating circumstances that prevented me from living up to my academic plan and potential I had set last year. I acknowledge that withdrawing for a year would be in my best interest at this juncture in order for me to improve my mental health and ensure future academic success.

I went into my second year of university with a clean slate and all the will and determination I could conjure for what the year ahead was to bring. I attended classes and tutorials and ensured that my course load this year was less than last years, so that I may be successful and live up to my academic responsibilities. To align with my academic plan I started taking medication in the hope that I could mitigate my depression and anxiety. This is when things very quickly got out of hand. I started having very dark thoughts and due to this my concentration abilities were almost non-existent. I started not being able to get out of bed and things as simple as getting fresh air seemed like a mountain. I stopped finding joy in the things I used to enjoy and felt numb. It was very hard to get out of this cycle of depression. I had been told that taking medication for depression and anxiety and getting the dosage correct could be a pretty long process, but I did not expect to have been affected this badly. I switched medications in January and started to feel somewhat better but very slowly. However, by January I had already missed a significant amount of school and was very behind. This threw me into a state of deep panic. I found myself wondering how could I ever catch up? This made me feel hopeless.

Despite feelings of failure I tried the best I could to go to classes following the winter break and doing things that would help better my mental health as much as possible. I would ensure that I went for daily walks and was social with friends. My medication seemed to be helping more than previous one and I slowly found my mood starting to improve. However my depression seems to come in waves and due to external factors I was hit with a massive episode which simply put appear to hijack my very being. This episode caused me to be bedridden. I stopped attending therapy regularly and had some of the darkest thoughts I have ever experienced. Reaching out for help was very difficult in this situation due to feelings of shame. Towards the end of the year I slowly started getting better and since being home I have drastically improved.

Since being home, I have gotten a job, started attending therapy again on a regular basis and have established a daily schedule. I am eager to catch up on the years I have missed due to my mental health. I wish to take this time to heal my mind. I love learning and having my grades wiped would offer me the chance to start over. I worked very hard to get into University and I am truly heartbroken about the struggles I have endured since starting.

I am committed to getting a degree so that I may have a bright future. I am willing to put in the work and prepared to make the necessary changes in my life to be sucsessful. Taking a year off school to improve my mental wellbing is the right choice at this point. I however look forward to a refreshed start at Queens in the future.
I thank you for your time and consideration,


Sincerely,
Isabelle Rigny.