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Petition Letter: March 15, 2022

Request to Drop MICR 360 from Transcript

To whom it may concern,

I have found my transition into my first year on campus to be quite difficult as I struggle with anxiety and depression as well as being away from home.

I am from Nunavut so as one can imagine; the distance is quite far. I currently live alone and maintaining a routine for myself has been taxing, much more than keeping up with school as well. Events in the past few months have greatly impacted my work ethic as I believe I was a decent student in first and second year.

I recently lost my grandmother in the Philippines, and it has severely affected me as she was my sole caretaker for 5 years (my parents were already in Canada) until I finally arrived in Canada. Due to COVID, I was unable to attend her funeral in-person and was forced to watch it through a livestream, taking a toll on my family as we could not be home to support our loved ones.

I struggled to take care of myself in the simplest of habits ?? eating, attending lectures and had various panic attacks throughout the semester that heightened my anxiety and closeted me in from the people that cared about me.

My parents do not know I failed this course and I fear that If they do find out, I will be harmed, as I have suffered physical, verbal and emotional abuse throughout my whole life when they recognize any failure even outside academics.

In the few months of starting school, I have faced extenuating circumstances aside from my grandmother??s passing, regarding family pressures to an extent where I contemplated suicide as my family is not very supportive of my goals. Last fall, I gravely struggled. I have talked to an Academic Advisor about the circumstances and will organize my term accordingly so that I may succeed and feel content in my courses. They have also directed me to the supports offered around campus.

Fortunately now, I somewhat have a support system helping me. I hope to receive professional help and unfortunately have to do it behind my parents' backs as I can only fear what will happen when they find out; they have referred to anyone with a mental illness as ?cuckoos who overreact?? and don??t provide any sympathy for their children if they are struggling.

My parents never offered therapy to us children as they saw feelings of despair and depression to be 'overreactions' and instead, were encouraged to suppress such emotions so as not to seem weak or unable. The physical and verbal abuse I have suffered in my life and this was not beneficial to me over the years as it gravely impacted my mental health.

With that, I can not provide any medical documentation of my feelings of depression and struggles with anxiety (as they are not officially diagnosed from my lack of exposure to a health professional) throughout last semester, but I hope you can take my word for it.

I have reached out to my professor, Dr. Katrina Gee, on the dropping of MICR 360 from my transcript and she, alongside Associate Dean, Dr. Louise Winn, has written a letter in support of dropping and I have attached it along with this letter.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Abigail Atienza (20184720)
3rd Year, Undergraduate Student
Queen's University