Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Officer,
I am writing this letter to explain the reason that I apply to a late drop to one of my course.
I was diagnosed to depression during the summer break and started taking treatment from that time. I still went back to school because my doctor in my hometown thought that my mental status turned better at that time, however, I did not recover completely. Therefore, according to the doctor¿¿s advice, I only take four courses this semester to avoid too much workload. I also kept going to the Student Wellness Services for regular examination and got the Prescription Drug from the physician.
I am doing my second year in Statistic Major and take four Math courses. At the beginning, it is not too difficult to handle with some struggle. However, things became more difficult gradually when all courses started to give assignments. As the deadline to drop without financial penalty had passed, I decided to kept taking the four courses and hoping just pass all of them. However, it seems that was caused by side effects of the drug I took for treatment: I starting vomiting every time after taking tablets, which make me sick and sometimes felt so dizzy that may fall into a shock in the next second(the physician suspected that may because I vomit the tablets out as well, while the tablets must be taken every day or may cause serious situations). As the tests approached, I started suffering from insomnia: I had difficulty falling asleep and woke up early every day, lacking of energy everyday.
During the mid-term period, I had three mid-terms in four days and two of them were in Wednesday night and Thursday night, which was a great workload for me and I had difficulty focus on any material at that period. I insisted to go to every test. Unfortunately, all my grades received were not satisfying: I usually got about 90 in tests during the past two semesters in Queen¿¿s and the first two I received were about 70-80. The worst thing is the last test I received: it was only 20. I almost broke down immediately at that time not only because I never received such a low mark before but also the course is mostly something based on a course I took in my first year which I got about 95 and even was awarded a scholarship. My confidence was totally destroyed at that moment. The instructor gave the exams out right after the deadline to drop without academic penalty so I was not able to consider about dropping it before deadline.
After the mid-terms, the symptoms didn¿¿t decrease and became even worse. I went to the physician for help and I thought dropping one of the course to take only three courses may be a better idea for me. Due to the bad mark I got from the mid-term, the best choice may be drop that course I only got 20(it consist 35 of the total grade).
I went to the office of Undergraduate Chairman and, luckily, the course would not affect most of my degree plan. It is a one-semester course so there is no related course next semester. It is offered every fall semester, so I can also take that next year if I want. In short, she can approve my application to drop that course.
I finished all the according things about two weeks before but write this letter now because some sudden events: I kept going to that course after reading the regulations and advice for late drop. It was unlucky that I caught acute keratitis the week after that. I cannot read books during the endless tear pouring out from my eyes and was not able to watch electronic screen. I feel sorry for the delay and if there is any inconvenience caused by it.
I hereby submit this appeal letter to apply for late drop of MATH 280 in Fall 2016 semester. Really appreciate your patience for reading this letter and hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
Yutong Jiang