Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am currently writing my appeal letter from the comfort of my home with the support of my entire family. I am appealing to remove my first-year failed courses from my transcript as well as waving the possible one-year withdrawal period due to my poor academic standing. I have recently been diagnosed by my doctor with an anxiety disorder, which I am taking proper medication for and partaking in psychotherapy. After discovering that my brother, two years my senior, was struggling with mental health issues I became the first person for him to come to. This came at a time when I was seventeen years of age and was caught between him and my parents on what to disclose and how to handle what he was telling me. While attending my first year at Queen¿¿s my brother confided in me about being sexually abused when he was very young. I feel that after this point, I began to not care for myself. Combined with previously always being extremely nervous, and always worried about small issues I began to be constantly paranoid about how I interacted in social situations, what people thought of me and fell into a complete state of depression before the end of the fall in 2018. I began to stop going to my classes, completing my assignments and stopped doing activities that I used to love including running and biking. I would stay up almost all night, unable to sleep and then sleep all day not wanting to get out of bed. This drastically effected my work as I was not attending classes, and would only show up to one class once a week with my friends to make sure no one became aware of my downwards progression. Following my fall exams, I was in a very bad state both mentally and academically. My parents were kept in the dark about my academic standing as I only had grades of about 30 in each of my chemistry, physics and calculus courses. They also were unaware of my mental state as I thought I would be able to turn it around in the winter semester of 2019 and regain my strong work ethic and determination that I carried before attending university. As my first school year continued, I was not attending my required lab sessions, tutorials or classes as I would spend my days in my single room. My issues of avoidance began to grow as I would mentally connect my belongings with all the work I was missing. This means I wouldn¿¿t want to use certain pencils I had used to write my pervious failed exams and I wouldn¿¿t go on my laptop for fear of facing my declining academic standing. These issues only grew after my first year. Once I returned home after first year with barely getting three out of ten course credits, I was forced into a proper sleeping routine due to my job and parents and felt that I could take on the 2019-2020 school year. Once back in Kingston, my issues only became worse. After working all summer to afford my schooling I did not attend a single lecture for the first four weeks of classes nor did I open my laptop. I became scared to even walk on campus as I thought people would judge me for my pervious year and wouldn¿¿t do any type of physical exercise. I would again stay awake all night, sleep all day and not want to get out of bed. After week 12 of first semester in 2019, I was in horrible academic standing again and was probably in the lowest point I had ever felt. My feelings were magnified due to the fact that I was hiding this all from my parents and not being truthful. After I received my grades from first semester, my parents and I thought it would be best for me to start talking to a professional. I began counselling and I was so upset with myself that I would only leave the house to go to my meetings with my psychologist. I was living a lie as I would tell him that I was doing better only to be avoiding all my issues. On March 3rd, 2020 I called my parents and said I needed to come home. I couldn¿¿t handle the fact that I was failing all my courses, wasn¿¿t even submitting assignments and ultimately, I was uncomfortable with myself all the time. Once I saw a health care professional at home, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder which was fueling my inability to function in an academic setting. I began medication, confessed my issues with my psychologist and attempted to take on my academics with the proper tools in place. I arranged weekly meetings with my psychologist in Kingston, had open communication with my doctor and parents and finally began to feel like my-old self again as I was doing all my school work. I am still practicing techniques put into place by my supports. My anxiety caused two years of negligence of my well being which resulted in my poor academic standing.