Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 13379
Submitted: June 25, 2025 at 8:46:38 PM
First Name: Nona
Last Name: Ghassemian
Pronoun: She/Her
Student Number: 20330230
Email: 21ngm2@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSCH
Plan: Life Sciences
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to respectfully request a waiver of the petition deadline to allow for a late course drop related to my Winter 2023 semester. This letter is deeply personal, and I thank you in advance for taking the time to hear my story.
Throughout my time at Queen’s, I have been fortunate enough to receive academic accommodations that have supported me through various challenges. I am truly grateful for the resources that have helped me succeed so far. However, during the Winter term of my second year, I experienced a period of significant mental health difficulty, something that deeply affected my academic performance in one particular course.
At the time, I was dealing with the compounding effects of anxiety and ADHD, both of which made it incredibly difficult to manage the situation or even begin the petition process. The very idea of revisiting that semester, let alone articulating what I was going through felt overwhelming and paralyzing. ADHD made it hard to organize my thoughts or initiate the complex steps required, while anxiety intensified my avoidance. I was trapped in a cycle of wanting to move forward but feeling mentally and emotionally blocked from doing so.
I did not initially seek help or disclose what I was going through. Coming from an immigrant family and being a first-generation university student in Canada, I have always carried the weight of my parents’ sacrifices on my shoulders. I have been taught to push through hardship, to persevere without complaint, and to never show vulnerability. So, when I failed that course, something that had never happened to me before, it shattered the image I had of myself. It felt like I had failed not just a class, but my family and their hopes for me.
At the time, I was unable to even speak the word “fail.” It wasn’t until a few months later that I could disclose the result to my therapist and family. When my therapist asked me how this experience made me feel, I realized that opening up meant confronting a deep well of shame and self-blame. I didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t okay. I didn’t want my parents to see me as anything less than strong. I avoided the issue entirely; telling no one, pushing forward academically, and trying to pretend it had never happened.
Eventually, after exams this year, I reached out again to the academic advisor who had once mentioned the possibility of petitioning for a late course drop and emphasized the importance of advocating for myself during unforeseen circumstances. She informed me that before submitting the actual petition, I would need to first request a waiver of the missed deadline.
Over the past few months, I have finally been able to revisit the topic with my doctor, my therapist, and my family. Their support, now documented, has helped me come to terms with this experience and given me the clarity and strength I needed to move forward with this petition. I am ready to share my story through the second petition—one that focuses on the course itself.
I recognize that over a year has passed, and that this delay may be difficult to justify. But I ask that you consider the context; how hard it was to even acknowledge what had happened, let alone find the strength to revisit it. This process was not just about paperwork—it required confronting something I had buried for over a year. My dreams of becoming a dentist felt, at the time, like they had shattered—something I intend to expand on in my second petition. I have been working on this petition for over two months, but each day, anxiety takes over, either holding me back from submitting it or making me obsess and over analyze every detail. This entire process has made me realize just how much this petition truly means to me.
One of the reasons I delayed the petition was because I didn’t want my past to hinder my present. I tried to move forward by excelling in my subsequent terms, and I’m proud to say I have. I believe this progress speaks to my resilience and personal growth. While I wish I had navigated this situation more swiftly and with greater structure, it has been a valuable lesson. I am learning how to better manage hardships and advocate for myself moving forward.
Although this journey has been difficult, I have learned that strength is not always about enduring in silence, it is also about knowing when to reach out. I now feel capable of advocating for myself, and I hope that alone illustrates how intense and personal this situation has been. Thank you again for considering my request and for your patience and understanding in reviewing this petition. It would mean a great deal to me, and to my future, to be given the opportunity to formally share my experience in the next petition step.
With gratitude,
Nona Ghassemian
20330230
Queen’s University
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to respectfully request a waiver of the petition deadline to allow for a late course drop related to my Winter 2023 semester. This letter is deeply personal, and I thank you in advance for taking the time to hear my story.
Throughout my time at Queen’s, I have been fortunate enough to receive academic accommodations that have supported me through various challenges. I am truly grateful for the resources that have helped me succeed so far. However, during the Winter term of my second year, I experienced a period of significant mental health difficulty, something that deeply affected my academic performance in one particular course.
At the time, I was dealing with the compounding effects of anxiety and ADHD, both of which made it incredibly difficult to manage the situation or even begin the petition process. The very idea of revisiting that semester, let alone articulating what I was going through felt overwhelming and paralyzing. ADHD made it hard to organize my thoughts or initiate the complex steps required, while anxiety intensified my avoidance. I was trapped in a cycle of wanting to move forward but feeling mentally and emotionally blocked from doing so.
I did not initially seek help or disclose what I was going through. Coming from an immigrant family and being a first-generation university student in Canada, I have always carried the weight of my parents’ sacrifices on my shoulders. I have been taught to push through hardship, to persevere without complaint, and to never show vulnerability. So, when I failed that course, something that had never happened to me before, it shattered the image I had of myself. It felt like I had failed not just a class, but my family and their hopes for me.
At the time, I was unable to even speak the word “fail.” It wasn’t until a few months later that I could disclose the result to my therapist and family. When my therapist asked me how this experience made me feel, I realized that opening up meant confronting a deep well of shame and self-blame. I didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t okay. I didn’t want my parents to see me as anything less than strong. I avoided the issue entirely; telling no one, pushing forward academically, and trying to pretend it had never happened.
Eventually, after exams this year, I reached out again to the academic advisor who had once mentioned the possibility of petitioning for a late course drop and emphasized the importance of advocating for myself during unforeseen circumstances. She informed me that before submitting the actual petition, I would need to first request a waiver of the missed deadline.
Over the past few months, I have finally been able to revisit the topic with my doctor, my therapist, and my family. Their support, now documented, has helped me come to terms with this experience and given me the clarity and strength I needed to move forward with this petition. I am ready to share my story through the second petition—one that focuses on the course itself.
I recognize that over a year has passed, and that this delay may be difficult to justify. But I ask that you consider the context; how hard it was to even acknowledge what had happened, let alone find the strength to revisit it. This process was not just about paperwork—it required confronting something I had buried for over a year. My dreams of becoming a dentist felt, at the time, like they had shattered—something I intend to expand on in my second petition. I have been working on this petition for over two months, but each day, anxiety takes over, either holding me back from submitting it or making me obsess and over analyze every detail. This entire process has made me realize just how much this petition truly means to me.
One of the reasons I delayed the petition was because I didn’t want my past to hinder my present. I tried to move forward by excelling in my subsequent terms, and I’m proud to say I have. I believe this progress speaks to my resilience and personal growth. While I wish I had navigated this situation more swiftly and with greater structure, it has been a valuable lesson. I am learning how to better manage hardships and advocate for myself moving forward.
Although this journey has been difficult, I have learned that strength is not always about enduring in silence, it is also about knowing when to reach out. I now feel capable of advocating for myself, and I hope that alone illustrates how intense and personal this situation has been. Thank you again for considering my request and for your patience and understanding in reviewing this petition. It would mean a great deal to me, and to my future, to be given the opportunity to formally share my experience in the next petition step.
With gratitude,
Nona Ghassemian
20330230
Queen’s University
Document: Off Campus Physicians note 20330230.pdf
Documentation Detail: My documentation will be sent separately to the Faculty Office.