Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing to request a late drop of CHEM 281(Fall, 2017). Since 2013 I have been dealing with severe bulimia, depression and anxiety. Last year I had a difficult start at Queen¿¿s dealing with an abortion (Sep 2016) that led to a relapse in my eating disorder, which continued for the duration of year. My grades did not meet my usual standards and fell short of the average for Life Science. Therefore, I continue as an undeclared student. I did not have much hope left for success at Queen¿¿s and considered not returning in the Fall. Especially due to the current relapse I was going through in (July 2017) which largely affected my summer courses. In August, after many attempts treating my depression and anxiety- which was the suspected cause for my eating disorder¿¿s continuous return. In August (2017) my psychiatrist tested me for ADHD. I was then diagnosed and prescribed with Vyvanse. The medication resulted in my lowest frequency of symptomatic behaviors in 5 years. This newfound clarity, convinced me to return back to Queen¿¿s and continue to work toward my goals.

I started off well and passed the first midterm with ease. However, I eventually noticed the negative symptoms of the medication, such as insomnia and OCD-like behaviors. At first, these effects were beneficial to me. I was living with a constant pressure to attain high marks. I felt it was the only way to dig myself out of the hole first year created. These behaviors helped me to prioritize school, which helped until I put studies ahead of my health. I got to the point where I was regularly at the library until close, and would go days without sleep. This lifestyle proved to be more detrimental than helpful when it affected my 2nd midterm. Days prior to it I was going through my worst phase of insomnia, likely induced from anxiety for the upcoming exam. I ended up not sleeping for 3 days. I knew I retained enough knowledge of the current curriculum from hours of preparation and course cram, but when it came to the exam I froze. Although many questions correlated with the practice tests I had previously attempted, I was incapable of translating that information onto paper. I felt all my energy being put towards keeping my eyes open. I ended up failing the exam, which affected me tremendously. I was incapable of looking past the fact that 3 days put all my hours of work to waste. I lost hope, and searching for the motivation I once had was very difficult. I eventually got back to my old study habits, however this lifestyle took a toll on my health. I discussed my situation with my psychiatrist and he gave me temporary sleeping pills. But I genuinely believed I couldn¿¿t waste time getting healthy until after exams. I knew that was the wrong decision, and that was validated when my boyfriend broke up with me in week 11- a large reasoning being the changes in my lifestyle. I then stopped my medication, unaware that stopping that dosage so abruptly can result in severe depression. For the following week I became extremely depressed, and started to engage in eating disorder behaviors. After the realization that these emotions were disproportionate to my situation, I went home. There, I was made aware by my psychiatrist of the repercussions caused by inconsistency in medication. I started them again immediately, and was stable within 2 days. However, at this point it was two days before the exam. The anxiety from feeling unprepared caused an anxiety attack on my way to the exam. I was informed after it is better not to write an exam in that state because once attempted there are less opportunities, but I was unaware of this prior to the exam.

I have already commenced a plan for moving forward with my therapist and psychiatrist. My psychiatrist and I have agreed to testing out different dosage strategies as well as sleeping pills, to get my schedule back on track. I have agreed to communicate my symptoms for each change of prescription, in order for him to find the optimal dosage. My therapist whom I have had for 3 years and meet/skype with weekly, has discussed breaking our sessions into two to create more dispersed support. Also, I have been researching to familiarize myself with the student wellness facilities available here at Queen¿¿s. In attempts to discover more options for support, emotionally and academically. If this appeal is granted, my hope is to re-do the course online in the summer and attain a full knowledge of the curriculum, before proceeding on to CHEM 282. I understand this is a large request. But I know two things about myself that will never change. Firstly, I am smart- despite what my mental illness has inhibited me from proving in my grades. Secondly, I will never give up. I truly believe that with improvement in my mental health and these new support techniques, I will thrive here at Queen¿¿s. Thank you for your kindness and consideration, and for taking the time to read this.
Best,
Rachel Samson