Petition Letter
Hello Associate Dean (Academic) Stephenson,
I am petitioning to add the courses MATH 401, MATH 328, STAT 353 and HIST 109 past the enrolment deadline for the Winter 2023 semester.
The reason I was previously unable to enrol in courses is due to the fact that I had a traumatic family incident occur over the 2022 winter break. My younger brother came forward to my family about his poor mental health and multiple suicide attempts a couple days after Christmas. He also told us that he had attempted twice over the break just before Christmas but could not bring himself to do it in fear of ruining our holiday. One night before Christmas he had gone drinking with his friends, after he came home my mother found him in bed choking on his own vomit. He admitted that this was not an intentional suicide attempt like the others but, when he woke up the next morning, he was disappointed because ??it could have been an easy way to go?. Then he outlined the plan he had formulated to kill himself after the break when he got back to school. He also admitted to having constant suicidal ideations. I apologize if these details are not required but I wanted to highlight the severity of this situation. During the 2022 fall semester he had told me about his decline in mental health and I dedicated a lot of my time to taking care of him, I did not know the reality and extent of his poor mental state. When he came forward about the multiple suicide attempts it left my family in a state of shock and fear. I was unsure whether or not I should return to my classes this semester because I became so overwhelmed in this situation. I am also diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety; I take medication daily to help my own mental state but with this situation unraveling my mental well-being spiralled for a moment due to all the worry and fear I was overcome with. Hence why I was unsure about returning this semester, I did not want to take on task that I was not sure I could handle.
Sunday evening (January 22nd, 2023) I made the decision that I would be able to return to my studies as I truly believe that fully immersing myself into school would be the best thing for me. It has been decided that my brother is not returning to his studies, living at home and my parents are now doing everything in their power to support him properly, which is why I now feel more confident in my own success for school. He is also now taking 2 different medications and consistently seeing a psychiatrist to improve his mental health. I am currently looking for a therapist to help me with my emotional/mental trauma regarding this situation as well as discussing an increase on my personal dosages for the medications I take with my doctor to combat any excess anxiety or depression. I am also prepared to ask other students in the class for any class notes I have missed thus far, as well as talk to each professor during their office hours about the missed work. I also plan to take a 5th year.
I am begging for a chance to enrol in these courses and turn this situation around. None of this has been easy for me, I had been living in a state of fear, but I have now properly evaluated the situation and know that I can take on this semester with full confidence. There is nothing more I can personally do to support my brother at this time and therefore can return to my own studies.
Thank you for your time,
Reese Murrans
20188510
I am petitioning to add the courses MATH 401, MATH 328, STAT 353 and HIST 109 past the enrolment deadline for the Winter 2023 semester.
The reason I was previously unable to enrol in courses is due to the fact that I had a traumatic family incident occur over the 2022 winter break. My younger brother came forward to my family about his poor mental health and multiple suicide attempts a couple days after Christmas. He also told us that he had attempted twice over the break just before Christmas but could not bring himself to do it in fear of ruining our holiday. One night before Christmas he had gone drinking with his friends, after he came home my mother found him in bed choking on his own vomit. He admitted that this was not an intentional suicide attempt like the others but, when he woke up the next morning, he was disappointed because ??it could have been an easy way to go?. Then he outlined the plan he had formulated to kill himself after the break when he got back to school. He also admitted to having constant suicidal ideations. I apologize if these details are not required but I wanted to highlight the severity of this situation. During the 2022 fall semester he had told me about his decline in mental health and I dedicated a lot of my time to taking care of him, I did not know the reality and extent of his poor mental state. When he came forward about the multiple suicide attempts it left my family in a state of shock and fear. I was unsure whether or not I should return to my classes this semester because I became so overwhelmed in this situation. I am also diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety; I take medication daily to help my own mental state but with this situation unraveling my mental well-being spiralled for a moment due to all the worry and fear I was overcome with. Hence why I was unsure about returning this semester, I did not want to take on task that I was not sure I could handle.
Sunday evening (January 22nd, 2023) I made the decision that I would be able to return to my studies as I truly believe that fully immersing myself into school would be the best thing for me. It has been decided that my brother is not returning to his studies, living at home and my parents are now doing everything in their power to support him properly, which is why I now feel more confident in my own success for school. He is also now taking 2 different medications and consistently seeing a psychiatrist to improve his mental health. I am currently looking for a therapist to help me with my emotional/mental trauma regarding this situation as well as discussing an increase on my personal dosages for the medications I take with my doctor to combat any excess anxiety or depression. I am also prepared to ask other students in the class for any class notes I have missed thus far, as well as talk to each professor during their office hours about the missed work. I also plan to take a 5th year.
I am begging for a chance to enrol in these courses and turn this situation around. None of this has been easy for me, I had been living in a state of fear, but I have now properly evaluated the situation and know that I can take on this semester with full confidence. There is nothing more I can personally do to support my brother at this time and therefore can return to my own studies.
Thank you for your time,
Reese Murrans
20188510