Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: April 17, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Liv Cotman and I am currently in my 3rd year of Arts (History) and Concurrent Education at Queen¿¿s University. Being in Queen¿¿s Con-Ed has been a dream of mine ever since I can remember.

In the past year, I have gone through significant family hardships and it has had a direct impact on my studies at Queen¿¿s. When I first started at Queen¿¿s, I was experiencing these family struggles but not to the extremity that it has grown to over this past year. My little sister, Kate, was diagnosed last summer with Bipolar II Disorder and Panic & Anxiety Disorder. This diagnosis came soon after her diagnosis of Depression. I had to watch my not only my sister face this heartbreaking diagnosis but my parents as well.

Although I do not live at home currently, I had to help with driving Kate to appointment after appointment with too many doctors to keep track of. I also had an extremely difficult time seeing my little sister being admitted to the Children¿¿s Psychiatric Ward at KGH for a period of several weeks. Seeing my sister go through severe depression, suicidal thoughts, complete withdrawal, irritability, temper tantrums, and panic attacks, among many other things, took an extreme toll on my own mental health.

In light of Kate¿¿s diagnoses, I became very withdrawn and depressed myself. I did not know how to express to my parents how much I was struggling when they had been having such a difficult time dealing with Kate on a daily basis. I was in a constant state of fear not knowing how Kate¿¿s extreme mood swings may have a toll on her life. I slowly lost interest in school as well as all my extracurricular, volunteer work, and job.

I struggled with telling my parents how I was feeling as I did not want to add more stress and worry to their lives. I would tell them that I was fine, even though I was the furthest thing from it. Instead, I myself became withdrawn and uninterested in my life. Neither of my parents had the opportunity to attend college or university. The last thing I wanted to do was to feel as though I had let them down in my education after everything they have given me.

As it is, I struggle with school and always have. Getting into Queen¿¿s Con-Ed came as such a surprise to myself and everyone around me that no one could believe it. I took it as a sign that it was meant to be and disregarded the present fact that I had always struggled with school no matter how much extra help I sought out. I have always been a hands on learner and have learned best in small settings. This is always reflected through my grades as I suffer from extreme test anxiety and OCD. All this family pressure I have faced this year has made school even harder than it already is leading me to a breaking point.

Recently, I had a severe mental breakdown upon the realization that I could see my future slipping away from my grasp. I opened up to my parents about how I was feeling and they helped me reach out to a new therapist who has been helping me cope with my family issues and my school anxiety. My sister, family, and myself are all beginning to heal and I would like to move on without this past school year haunting me. I am extremely hopeful and positive that after seeking help, next year my studies will be back on track and I will be able to study without any overcoming distractions.

Under these extenuating circumstances I am asking you to please consider my request in dropping these courses past the drop deadline from the Fall 2016 term and the Winter 2017 term. Doing so will be able to help me heal through this process and will alleviate a great amount of stress from myself. Looking at my grades and not seeing these failing grades would help me to get back on track to graduating Queen¿¿s with both of my degrees.

Thank you for your consideration,

Liv Cotman