Petition Letter
Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Associate Dean - Faculty of Arts and Science
Dear Madam:
I, Christopher Carter, am writing this petition as a means of advancing my request to have my requirement to withdraw waived. For me, this past year has seemed almost like a blur; it felt as though I had been caught in the undertow of an emotional tsunami, perpetually being dragged back into its indescribable, crushing weight- reaching, struggling for air, all for it to come crashing back down. Inexplicably, I had lost the ability to eat, sleep and regulate/interpret my emotions, and although I knew there was something wrong with me, nobody could offer the help I desperately needed. Though my symptoms were akin to that of my siblings, many doctors were uncomfortable with treating me due to my existing ADHD diagnosis, and the few doctors specialized in comorbidity weren’t accepting new patients. As the year progressed, I slipped ever-deeper into my self-destructive cycles, and it seemed like the harder I tried to fix things for myself and the better I did, the harder I would fall. I remained in this cycle for the entirety of last year, which had a profound impact on my academic life. By the time the year had ended and I had returned home, my academic shortcomings had caused me so much shame and embarrassment to a point where even looking at my laptop made me feel anxiously-ill. As dark as my last year was, I’ve found new hope; therapy, medications, and an improved awareness of my condition have all served as beacons to navigate me through an existential void towards the life I’ve always dreamed of. I don’t think a year at home would help my mental health, it would just feel like I’m losing another year of my life to my illness.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Christopher Carter
Associate Dean - Faculty of Arts and Science
Dear Madam:
I, Christopher Carter, am writing this petition as a means of advancing my request to have my requirement to withdraw waived. For me, this past year has seemed almost like a blur; it felt as though I had been caught in the undertow of an emotional tsunami, perpetually being dragged back into its indescribable, crushing weight- reaching, struggling for air, all for it to come crashing back down. Inexplicably, I had lost the ability to eat, sleep and regulate/interpret my emotions, and although I knew there was something wrong with me, nobody could offer the help I desperately needed. Though my symptoms were akin to that of my siblings, many doctors were uncomfortable with treating me due to my existing ADHD diagnosis, and the few doctors specialized in comorbidity weren’t accepting new patients. As the year progressed, I slipped ever-deeper into my self-destructive cycles, and it seemed like the harder I tried to fix things for myself and the better I did, the harder I would fall. I remained in this cycle for the entirety of last year, which had a profound impact on my academic life. By the time the year had ended and I had returned home, my academic shortcomings had caused me so much shame and embarrassment to a point where even looking at my laptop made me feel anxiously-ill. As dark as my last year was, I’ve found new hope; therapy, medications, and an improved awareness of my condition have all served as beacons to navigate me through an existential void towards the life I’ve always dreamed of. I don’t think a year at home would help my mental health, it would just feel like I’m losing another year of my life to my illness.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Christopher Carter