Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Studies,

I am appealing to drop CISC 121 (Fall, 2018) late.
I am also appealing to be granted credit standing in CLST 102 (Fall 2018), as well as COGS 100 (Fall, 2018).

Late in my high school career and throughout the Fall 2018 term, I experienced some mental health struggles for which I am currently seeking investigation and treatment through Student Wellness Services. These struggles severely hindered my ability to not only meet my academic obligations but also my obligations in extracurricular activities and within my personal relationships. I would often look down upon myself especially when I struggled with my schoolwork. When I couldn't figure out what was wrong I thought I was unfit to be at Queen's which at times made it incredibly difficult to even be on campus. I often left Queen's to go home because I felt that I couldn't meet the expectations put on me at Queen's and that I needed to escape the pressure. This was compounded by the fact that I used to be a highly functioning student and all of a sudden I could not do any work. When the work piled up, I felt a sense of paralysis and I could not perform even basic functions. My ability to take care of myself physically, mentally and emotionally, in a manner that would allow me to attend my classes and other obligations regularly enough to ensure my success, was severely hindered.

I took many steps throughout the Fall term to deal with these extenuating circumstances. I first met with the Undergraduate Program Assistant at the School of Computing seeking assistance in my courses. I described my circumstances to her and she directed me to many resources including Student Support Services and Student Wellness Services. During that time I decreased my course load from 100 to 60. I was also granted temporary accommodations for the Fall 2018 term. I have seen a physician to begin talks with Psychiatry at Student Wellness Services. I also meet with an occupational therapist on an ongoing basis, which has exponentially improved every aspect of my life, including my ability to attend classes, meet obligations and readily take on more challenges. We have achieved this through a daily routine, which includes a daily quota of study time as well as scheduled downtime to ensure a proper work-life balance. I have taken steps to limit the amount of time I spend in my residence, as staying in bed was something I defaulted to at my lowest times. I now have a study spot which I spend my days at, and I go from there to all of my classes as well as to places to eat. I now wake up and sleep enough and at the same times every day, and I plan when I eat meals in a similar fashion. I find that adhering to these timelines regulates my mood and gives me less to think about, which I feel was a huge part of my inaction in the Fall 2018 term. I've started exercising in the morning every day as well, which has had a huge impact on my ability to perform in my studies and on my mood.

In the future, I will continue to work with occupational therapy to make sure I am reaching my goals. Despite the drastic improvement in my wellness in these past few weeks, I will continue to investigate my extenuating circumstances with Student Wellness Services to ensure things never get to the point of a similar appeal being necessary again. I am already retaking CISC 121 (Winter, 2019), and I plan on taking courses over the spring and summer sessions to get back on track to graduate in 4 years.

Thank you for your consideration,

Zion Adegbayi