Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,

My name is Sophie Gartland-Davey, student number 20238910, and I am appealing to drop HIST 241 (Winter 2022), as well as appealing for Credit Standing in both HIST 124 (Fall/Winter 2021/22) and HIST 223 (Winter 2022).

I have struggled with my mental health and my capacity to focus for as long as I can remember, but up until the fall semester of 2021, it had never impacted my academic performance. After completing my first year of studies online through York University, I was really looking forward to my second year of studies, and my first year at Queen??s. However, as the year kicked off, I began to experience intense episodes of panic while trying to focus on my course work for seemingly no reason. These episodes of panic led to a decrease in motivation, which decreased further every time I tried to complete work and was met with panic once again. This cycle progressed to a point where it was no longer just impacting my academic performance, but my entire life. I could barely find the motivation to get out of bed, let alone proceed with my academics. I lost my appetite completely, as well as 20 pounds from not eating, which is when I realized that I needed professional help. About halfway through the fall semester I booked an appointment at my family doctor??s office, and began treatment for anxiety and depression. The hope I felt from starting treatment gave me a boost of motivation to try and sort out my academics. When I realized how badly I had neglected my work, I was completely overwhelmed and discouraged. After speaking to a psychiatrist and receiving an ADHD diagnosis, I decided to drop HIST 313 (Fall/Winter 2021/22) in an attempt to lighten my workload and salvage the semester. At the end of the fall semester, motivated entirely by panic, I spoke to my teachers, scrambled to complete loads of missing work, and earned a C in HIST 211 (Fall 2021) and a C- in HIST 282 (Fall 2021). As things progressed and the winter semester began, I felt less motivated than ever. I was still experiencing intense panic, now at even just the thought of my academics, and even though I had reached out for help and was receiving treatment, nothing had really changed. I had tried several different medications, all of them affecting me in different, unhelpful ways. It wasn??t until a couple months later, towards the end of the winter semester, that the continuous adjustments paid off and I began to experience the benefits of effective medical intervention. Unfortunately, this was not before I had dug myself another semester-long hole. Once again, I spoke to my teachers and salvaged what I could, but the damage was much worse than the fall semester. I was able to proceed with an incomplete grade in RELS 131 (Fall/Winter 2021/22) and am still working to complete that course. Aside from that, I finished the winter semester with a D+ in HIST 124 (Fall/Winter 2021/22), a D- in HIST 223 (Winter 2022), and an F in HIST 241 (Winter 2022).

Despite the challenge of these circumstances, I believe that I can enter the fall 2022 semester with a plan for success and more motivation than ever before. After taking time to reflect on my strengths and my limitations, my first step will be to drop from the Major plan in History to the General plan. Furthermore, having diagnoses for the conditions that impact me allow me to understand how to most effectively manage their negative effects. For example, I can now seek accommodations from QSAS, which will provide me with the extra help I need to avoid reaching the levels of stress that lead me to demotivate and neglect my work. Finally, I do believe that this academic year being my first year entirely in person will really help my situation. As an extroverted, socially-motivated individual, a full year in the in-person format will motivate me to stay on track with attending and participating in classes.