Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Board of Appeals,

I took ECON 212 in the summer of 2021, following my second year of university where I noticed my mental health and anxiety had increased greatly. I felt anxiety about almost everything and I found it hard to leave my bed, let alone complete basic tasks. During this time, the school became all-consuming and a fear of failure began a series of panic attacks starting in early August of 2021. I had experienced these panic attacks and anxiety for much of my life, but never to the level or frequency of that summer. It had monopolized my time to the point where much of my anxiety revolved around being anxious about experiencing more anxiety. This fear, combined with my past of having high anxiety during exam season resulted in a week of anxiety attacks occurring almost every day. I was mentally and physically exhausted, but also very scared as I had never experienced any mental illness to this severity before. My parents, friends, and support system tried to help but it was unknown territory. The morning of my exam I contacted my professor, reached out to QSAS, and tried calling my doctor. Moreover, I was on the phone with my parents during this entire time and my cousin who is a doctor came and stayed with me. I was progressing well throughout the course, achieving good grades on all the assignments. My anxiety and lack of knowledge of my condition gave me no indication that I would be unable to complete the exam until the day of.

After deferring the exam, I attempted it again in September. I studied and once again felt prepared but the anxiety remained consistently bad the rest of the summer leading me to feel hopeless in the fall as well. I had talked to several counsellors and my doctor and had developed some coping techniques, yet nothing was effective. I ended up not being able to complete the resit for the exam and instead concentrated on becoming better while in school. I got accommodations and I used them which helped me so much in school. However, seeing a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist was extremely difficult due to understaffing, and I was not given much other help for most of the semester. Receiving accommodations and having private rooms for exams and extra time for assignments help. However, my anxiety was high throughout the fall, and I experienced periodic anxiety attacks. Economics classes and that course, in particular, became a very negative association for me, as it was one of the worst and loneliest times of my life, and the fear of experiencing that again was omnipresent. I decided with my doctor that I would not write it and instead appeal for an incomplete course.

By the end of the year, I had developed some coping techniques, acquired a therapist, understood my problem much better, and even began taking medication. My first exam went well in terms of anxiety, but after that, I completely spiralled and the medication made me extremely tired and I had virtually no appetite. I spent most of my winter break anxious and alone in my room, and my problems from the summer seemed to have come back which was terrifying for me. I was meant to write this letter in early January, but I had so much anxiety and other seemingly larger problems that it slipped my mind. I also was planning on going on exchange and had to gear up for that experience, but I was so anxious I thought I would not be able to leave as I was so unwell. Finally, with support from my parents and friends, I decided to go, but much of this month is a vague memory to me and I don't remember much of what happened. When I went on exchange, I no longer had access to my phone number and I could not access my Queens email due to the 2-step verification. The incomplete grade and the huge burden of anxiety this course created for me slipped to the back of my mind, and I completely forgot until I was looking on Solus and saw the grade show up as an F. At this point, I vaguely remembered having to complete the email, and after looking through past emails I saw I was meant to submit this form in January. This is the reason for the late appeal, however, I am currently retaking this course, and I am signed up for accommodations for my final exam. I have thus far achieved a 95% in the only assessment to date, and I regularly attend office hours to ensure my success in the course. I want to complete my minor and my degree without the F on my transcript which represents a time in my life with poor mental health. Thus, due to these extenuating circumstances, I would like to late drop this course.

Thank you for your consideration,

Anisha Chaudhary