Petition Letter
Date: December 4, 2024
Name: Edlira Ballaj
Student Number: 20342499
Subject: Petition for Credit Standing in Courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221, BCHM 218
Dear Associate Dean,
I am requesting a credit standing for courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221 and BCHM 218 due to extenuating circumstances that severely impacted my academic performance and personal well-being over the past year. These circumstances were beyond my control and left me in an ongoing state of fear, instability, and distress, which significantly hindered my ability to engage in my studies and attend to basic daily responsibilities.
For my entire second academic year, I was trapped in a highly unsafe living situation that profoundly affected every aspect of my life. My neighbourhood (Pine and Division St.) was marked by constant disturbances—stabbings, loud arguments, public confrontations, and constant police patrols. On the third day of school (September 6, 2023), walking back from campus I entered my street and saw the perimeter of my house wrapped around with yellow caution tape and dozens of first responders. There were detectives, police officers, and forensics all over my property and the house next to mine due to a brutal stabbing that had occurred 20 minutes before my arrival. I wasn't allowed to enter my house due to the investigation–striking enormous fear and concern in me–and learned very quickly that I would not have a normal off-campus living experience.
My anxiety worsened to the point where I felt unsafe even stepping outside my home. Nightfall amplified these fears, forcing me to avoid leaving the house after sunset. This not only prevented me from attending afternoon/evening classes and campus resources but also heightened a profound sense of isolation. I often chose between my safety and my education, and more often than not, I had no choice but to remain confined at home, sacrificing academic opportunities. The impact was so severe that the simple act of returning home after attending classes became a source of dread, knowing I was re-entering an unsafe and hostile environment in which I had to encounter all sorts of new situations.
Policing surrounding my property and neighbours wasn't a one-off occasion, another notable instance was the night before my CHEM 281 final exam, another incident occurred that required police intervention, leaving me shaken, distraught and unable to focus or no longer prepare for the exam – leading to severe underperformance on the exam, and future exams. The unpredictability and hostility of my environment made studying nearly impossible and left me constantly on edge. These conditions triggered severe mental health challenges such as generalized anxiety disorder and depression. The PTSD of the circumstances left me in a state of hypervigilance and emotional exhaustion, while my anxiety was so overwhelming that it impaired my ability to focus, retain information, or complete academic tasks. Even during quieter moments, I found myself unable to study effectively due to constant worry and intrusive thoughts about my safety and well-being.
The cumulative effect of these challenges made it nearly impossible to attend classes consistently, especially during the winter months when the dangers and disturbances in my neighbourhood intensified as the daylight shortened. My grades suffered as I struggled to keep up with coursework amidst these overwhelming barriers. By the final exam period, in both the fall and winter semesters, my physical health also deteriorated; I experienced intense vertigo episodes, further compounding my inability to perform academically during an already difficult time. I experienced vertigo once a couple of years ago, and it was nowhere near as intense as the few I've had in the past year due to these severe circumstances. I would be in a constant state of dizziness and motion sickness, which ultimately restricted my ability to study for my CHEM 281, CHEM 282 and MICR 221 final exam along with my other mental challenges mentioned before.
The severity of the situation’s impact only became fully apparent after I moved out and began to process the extent of what I had endured. Reflecting on the past year, I now realize how deeply this environment compromised my mental and physical health, and how profoundly it affected my academic performance. The trauma I experienced pervaded every aspect of my life, making it nearly impossible to focus on my studies or engage with academic responsibilities. This was particularly evident during my summer course, BCHM 218, where I found myself unable to complete assignments or concentrate without being overwhelmed by flashbacks to the house and neighbourhood I had just fled. The mere thought of the location brought vivid reminders of the traumatic incidents that occurred, both before and during my exams. These moments, filled with fear and instability, resurfaced each time I attempted to engage with coursework, further hindering my ability to perform academically and exacerbating the emotional toll of the past year.
Unfortunately, I did not file a petition sooner for several reasons. First, I lacked awareness that filing a petition for these circumstances was even an option. Until recently, I was unfamiliar with the process and did not realize that I could seek academic consideration for these challenges. Second, I was constrained by time and overwhelmed by the stress of managing day-to-day survival in an unsafe environment. My commitments and the constant demands of navigating this situation left me without the mental capacity or opportunity to explore the petition process. Finally, I did not fully comprehend the severity of the trauma and its effects until I had left the environment back to my family home and began receiving some professional help. It was only after gaining distance and support that I could truly understand the profound impact these experiences had on my academic and personal well-being.
Since leaving this environment, I have worked diligently to rebuild my sense of safety and stability. I have moved to a safer location in Kingston, and am actively following a treatment plan to manage my anxiety. While these steps have been crucial for my recovery, the repercussions of the past year continue to linger, and I am now seeking the committee’s support to help mitigate the academic impact of this extraordinary period in my life – especially as I am no longer pursuing a sciences degree and now am in political studies hoping to apply to law school next year.
I hope the committee will consider the severe and exceptional nature of these events and grant the request for credit standing for courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221 and BCHM 218 to support my academic recovery and success moving forward.
Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to review my petition. I am happy to provide any additional details or documentation that may assist in your decision.
Sincerely,
Edlira Ballaj
Name: Edlira Ballaj
Student Number: 20342499
Subject: Petition for Credit Standing in Courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221, BCHM 218
Dear Associate Dean,
I am requesting a credit standing for courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221 and BCHM 218 due to extenuating circumstances that severely impacted my academic performance and personal well-being over the past year. These circumstances were beyond my control and left me in an ongoing state of fear, instability, and distress, which significantly hindered my ability to engage in my studies and attend to basic daily responsibilities.
For my entire second academic year, I was trapped in a highly unsafe living situation that profoundly affected every aspect of my life. My neighbourhood (Pine and Division St.) was marked by constant disturbances—stabbings, loud arguments, public confrontations, and constant police patrols. On the third day of school (September 6, 2023), walking back from campus I entered my street and saw the perimeter of my house wrapped around with yellow caution tape and dozens of first responders. There were detectives, police officers, and forensics all over my property and the house next to mine due to a brutal stabbing that had occurred 20 minutes before my arrival. I wasn't allowed to enter my house due to the investigation–striking enormous fear and concern in me–and learned very quickly that I would not have a normal off-campus living experience.
My anxiety worsened to the point where I felt unsafe even stepping outside my home. Nightfall amplified these fears, forcing me to avoid leaving the house after sunset. This not only prevented me from attending afternoon/evening classes and campus resources but also heightened a profound sense of isolation. I often chose between my safety and my education, and more often than not, I had no choice but to remain confined at home, sacrificing academic opportunities. The impact was so severe that the simple act of returning home after attending classes became a source of dread, knowing I was re-entering an unsafe and hostile environment in which I had to encounter all sorts of new situations.
Policing surrounding my property and neighbours wasn't a one-off occasion, another notable instance was the night before my CHEM 281 final exam, another incident occurred that required police intervention, leaving me shaken, distraught and unable to focus or no longer prepare for the exam – leading to severe underperformance on the exam, and future exams. The unpredictability and hostility of my environment made studying nearly impossible and left me constantly on edge. These conditions triggered severe mental health challenges such as generalized anxiety disorder and depression. The PTSD of the circumstances left me in a state of hypervigilance and emotional exhaustion, while my anxiety was so overwhelming that it impaired my ability to focus, retain information, or complete academic tasks. Even during quieter moments, I found myself unable to study effectively due to constant worry and intrusive thoughts about my safety and well-being.
The cumulative effect of these challenges made it nearly impossible to attend classes consistently, especially during the winter months when the dangers and disturbances in my neighbourhood intensified as the daylight shortened. My grades suffered as I struggled to keep up with coursework amidst these overwhelming barriers. By the final exam period, in both the fall and winter semesters, my physical health also deteriorated; I experienced intense vertigo episodes, further compounding my inability to perform academically during an already difficult time. I experienced vertigo once a couple of years ago, and it was nowhere near as intense as the few I've had in the past year due to these severe circumstances. I would be in a constant state of dizziness and motion sickness, which ultimately restricted my ability to study for my CHEM 281, CHEM 282 and MICR 221 final exam along with my other mental challenges mentioned before.
The severity of the situation’s impact only became fully apparent after I moved out and began to process the extent of what I had endured. Reflecting on the past year, I now realize how deeply this environment compromised my mental and physical health, and how profoundly it affected my academic performance. The trauma I experienced pervaded every aspect of my life, making it nearly impossible to focus on my studies or engage with academic responsibilities. This was particularly evident during my summer course, BCHM 218, where I found myself unable to complete assignments or concentrate without being overwhelmed by flashbacks to the house and neighbourhood I had just fled. The mere thought of the location brought vivid reminders of the traumatic incidents that occurred, both before and during my exams. These moments, filled with fear and instability, resurfaced each time I attempted to engage with coursework, further hindering my ability to perform academically and exacerbating the emotional toll of the past year.
Unfortunately, I did not file a petition sooner for several reasons. First, I lacked awareness that filing a petition for these circumstances was even an option. Until recently, I was unfamiliar with the process and did not realize that I could seek academic consideration for these challenges. Second, I was constrained by time and overwhelmed by the stress of managing day-to-day survival in an unsafe environment. My commitments and the constant demands of navigating this situation left me without the mental capacity or opportunity to explore the petition process. Finally, I did not fully comprehend the severity of the trauma and its effects until I had left the environment back to my family home and began receiving some professional help. It was only after gaining distance and support that I could truly understand the profound impact these experiences had on my academic and personal well-being.
Since leaving this environment, I have worked diligently to rebuild my sense of safety and stability. I have moved to a safer location in Kingston, and am actively following a treatment plan to manage my anxiety. While these steps have been crucial for my recovery, the repercussions of the past year continue to linger, and I am now seeking the committee’s support to help mitigate the academic impact of this extraordinary period in my life – especially as I am no longer pursuing a sciences degree and now am in political studies hoping to apply to law school next year.
I hope the committee will consider the severe and exceptional nature of these events and grant the request for credit standing for courses CHEM 281, CHEM 282, MICR 221 and BCHM 218 to support my academic recovery and success moving forward.
Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to review my petition. I am happy to provide any additional details or documentation that may assist in your decision.
Sincerely,
Edlira Ballaj