Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello, I'm Duru Elli and I took classes for the Fall Term 2020 and Winter Term 2021 with hopes of graduating with a diploma in Bachelor of Arts. However, due to my depression and anxiety, I barely got work done to the point that I was too overwhelmed and started completely avoiding anything school related. As a result, I failed the classes which added further stress to my plate and resulted in me avoiding Winter classes completely. --

It all started off before COVID began. I had a job, however, each passing day was becoming more and more difficult. I was having difficulties with motivation, so as a result I kept breaking down in the mornings that I had work and either went to work anyway or just went back to bed. When COVID hit, I took it as an opportunity to relax and try to calm down as I prepared myself to get ready for school in Fall Term 2020. Consequently, I quit my job and I also was put on a list for a psychiatrist at Hotel Dieu Hospital since I actively looked for help regarding my mental health throughout this whole process. I was convinced I had it back under control as I felt better but unfortunately, I was proven wrong. I tried hard to get it all organized and maintained, but my mental health just made everything unbearable. One assignment felt like a huge burden weighing down on me and the simplest of tasks seemed impossible. Around the same time, I got through the waiting list and I started seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Yang. She helped me get on the right medications that helped me stabilize myself and stand up on my own again. I was slowly getting my mental health better and back in control, yet the damage had already been done. The anxiety from all my failures had taken over and engulfed me in stress, leaving me crippled and unable to do anything except watch it slowly build up more and more. I??ve been in contact with my counselor, Miss LaVigne, and she helped me figure out what needs to be done and helped me learn the steps needed to take care of myself. Nonetheless, that in of itself had a weight larger than everything else and stacked itself onto the stress, limiting my abilities further and rendering me incapable of even thinking about anything stress-inducing without crying. I postponed it further and further but I also delved deeper into my mental health, focusing on me while completely avoiding anything that gave me the slightest bit of stress (this includes OSAP). Fortunately, by focusing on myself, I found out critical information regarding myself. For one, I present many symptoms of ADHD such as being easily overwhelmed and difficulty concentrating and so I attempted ADHD medication. And two, my other medications which helped my mood also dramatically inhibited my physical energy to the point that taking a shower would leave me drained for the following days. Of course these should be things that people notice easily but I have great difficulty when it comes to understanding and processing how I feel hence why I was under the belief that I could manage post secondary life with ease. Regardless, my efforts and accomplishments may seem small, however, I am certain I have made great progress in understanding myself and becoming more responsible and I will continue to do my best to resolve this situation and progress my life as a student. Thank you.