Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Stephenson,

I am appealing to drop PHAR340 (Fall, 2019) and BIOL350 (Fall, 2019) because I have recently been struggling with severe insomnia and anxiety. I began having sleeping difficulties around mid-October and since then my mental health has progressively deteriorated to the point where it has negatively affected my academic performance. Every morning I wake up feeling extremely exhausted, anxious and overwhelmed. With BIOL350 and PHAR340, my only two in-class courses this semester, I have been unable to concentrate during the lectures and tutorials despite my best intentions. My grades have suffered as a result, slipping into the 60s and 70s when normally I pride myself on being able to achieve much higher. In the past, I have always been a student that has been able to effectively manage the pressures of university life but the acute sleep deprivation and anxiety that I have been experiencing feels as if it has incapacitated my ability to cope with the stress.

I am appealing to drop PHAR340 and BIOL350 as these are my last two courses remaining this semester, with final examinations scheduled on December 9th and December 10th, respectively. My three other online fall term courses have since been completed. With the way that my health has been worsening as of late, I truly do not believe that I will be able to write my exams and give my best performance possible. Since these are extra elective courses that I do not require for my degree plan I am requesting a late drop as opposed to asking for academic accommodation and finishing the courses at a later date.

I did not drop these courses before the Week 8 drop deadline because I thought that my health would get better if I tried my hardest to make it so. When I first began experiencing insomnia around mid-October, I tried my best to take the recommended steps to manage the problem. I focused on improving my sleeping habits by avoiding caffeine, limiting screen time before bed, and incorporating relaxation techniques into my routine to try and reduce my anxiety. I tried over-the-counter medications such as melatonin and Diphenhydramine. I also went in to see a doctor at a walk-in clinic and received a prescription for an antidepressant to use as a sleep aid. When neither medication nor lifestyle changes seemed to be working, I reached out to a Health Promotion Coordinator at Student Wellness Services on November 11th who equipped me with some strategies to try and improve my sleep. She recommended using sleep apps, journaling, meditation and seeking self-help from Therapy Assistance Online (TAO). She also connected me with a mental health nurse at Student Wellness Services on November 29th. To date, nothing that I have tried has seemed to have made any lasting improvements. In my present state of mental and physical fatigue, I do not feel capable of showing my true potential in my studies.

I want to make it clear that succeeding academically has always and will always be a top priority for me. Over the winter holidays, I plan on getting a handle on my health so that I can finish my last semester at Queen¿¿s on a strong note. I booked a doctor¿¿s appointment with Queen¿¿s Student Health Services on December 13th, which was their earliest available time slot. I also plan on self-referring myself to Queen¿¿s Sleep Therapy Service in order to treat my insomnia so that it does not continue to interfere with my daily functioning and wellbeing in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read my appeal. I look forward to hearing about your decision.

Sincerely,

Ambreen Navid