Petition Letter
(I selected “Submit a New Petition” because this option provided the designated section for the academic plan required for a Requirement to Withdraw petition. This submission also includes my request for the missed petition deadline to be waived).
Dear Associate Director (Studies),
I respectfully petition the Faculty of Arts and Science to waive my Requirement to Withdraw and consider my petition despite its late submission. I understand the seriousness of both requests and accept responsibility for my academic performance and late response.
I have been experiencing anxiety and other mental health challenges since before university. My first year performance at Queen’s fell far below my expectations, and I recognized that I needed to develop stronger study habits, better organization, and more consistent engagement in coursework. I completed first year committed to making those improvements in second year.
In early May 2025, my grandmother passed away. This was the first death of someone in my close family, and it affected me more deeply than I had understood at the time. Her passing significantly worsened difficulties I had previously tried to manage alone. Rather than processing the loss or speaking openly with anyone, I suppressed my grief and continued bottling up difficult emotions.
During the summer, I spent increasing amounts of time thinking about death, uncertainties in life, and the possibility of losing people close to me. My anxiety intensified, and I experienced difficulty sleeping, depressive symptoms, and a loss of motivation and purpose. My worsening mental health affected my concentration and ability to follow through on the changes I had planned for second year.
In October 2025, shortly after reading week, I experienced a severe episode of anxiety and sleeplessness that left me overwhelmed and frightened. My thoughts about mortality and uncertainty about the future, which had begun during the summer, intensified, which caused me to struggle with redirecting my thoughts away from them. Despite recognizing that I needed help, I continued trying to manage everything alone and did not speak honestly with my family, contact the University, or seek professional support.
These circumstances affected my entire second year course load across both terms. I struggled to get out of bed, maintain routines, attend classes consistently, concentrate during lectures, complete assignments, and adequately prepare for exams. As I fell behind, unfinished work piled up and became overwhelming which led to further avoidance. I became isolated and lost interest in activities I had previously enjoyed.
I do not present my circumstances as any type of excuse or claim that every academic difficulty resulted from my mental health. My first year performance had already shown areas in which I needed to improve. I now recognize that my tendency to avoid difficult situations and suppress negative emotions had caused my situation to worsen. I did not seek out professional support, communicate honestly with my family and the University, and I failed to reconsider my course load when the situation became unmanageable. I accept responsibility for allowing the situation to continue without seeking proper help.
The Requirement to Withdraw notice was issued on May 26, 2026. By then, I had returned home on April 16 and begun working full-time in construction management. Although work helped me rebuild structure and routine, my anxiety and avoidance of my academic situation had not resolved. I focused on immediate work responsibilities and did not monitor SOLUS or Queen’s communications as carefully as I should have. Consequently, I did not see the notice within the 15 business day deadline. In June 2026, I began therapy to address my issues directly. I logged into SOLUS on July 13 to review course selection information. I saw the notice and immediately began to prepare my petition. I accept that monitoring my academic standing and Queen’s communications was my responsibility, and I regret not acting sooner.
I am no longer trying to manage these challenges through avoidance and isolation. I am continuing therapy, communicating openly with my parents, and rebuilding consistency through my employment. If permitted to return, I will work with a tutor or an academic coach from the very beginning of the term, meet with an academic advisor and follow the workload they recommend, prioritize in-person courses where possible, maintain a structured weekly schedule, check my Queen’s email and SOLUS daily, and use appropriate academic and wellness resources. A detailed academic plan outlining these measures is included with my petition
My preferred goal is to continue studying Economics. If that is not immediately possible, I am prepared to pursue a General Arts and Science degree or another pathway recommended by an academic advisor. I am willing to repeat second year, retake courses, follow an academic success plan, and meet any other conditions the Faculty considers appropriate.
Queen’s remains the place where I want to complete my education. I am not asking for my previous performance to be disregarded. I am asking for the opportunity to apply what I have learned and demonstrate that I am prepared to return with greater maturity, structure, and accountability.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Julien Morel #20475151
Dear Associate Director (Studies),
I respectfully petition the Faculty of Arts and Science to waive my Requirement to Withdraw and consider my petition despite its late submission. I understand the seriousness of both requests and accept responsibility for my academic performance and late response.
I have been experiencing anxiety and other mental health challenges since before university. My first year performance at Queen’s fell far below my expectations, and I recognized that I needed to develop stronger study habits, better organization, and more consistent engagement in coursework. I completed first year committed to making those improvements in second year.
In early May 2025, my grandmother passed away. This was the first death of someone in my close family, and it affected me more deeply than I had understood at the time. Her passing significantly worsened difficulties I had previously tried to manage alone. Rather than processing the loss or speaking openly with anyone, I suppressed my grief and continued bottling up difficult emotions.
During the summer, I spent increasing amounts of time thinking about death, uncertainties in life, and the possibility of losing people close to me. My anxiety intensified, and I experienced difficulty sleeping, depressive symptoms, and a loss of motivation and purpose. My worsening mental health affected my concentration and ability to follow through on the changes I had planned for second year.
In October 2025, shortly after reading week, I experienced a severe episode of anxiety and sleeplessness that left me overwhelmed and frightened. My thoughts about mortality and uncertainty about the future, which had begun during the summer, intensified, which caused me to struggle with redirecting my thoughts away from them. Despite recognizing that I needed help, I continued trying to manage everything alone and did not speak honestly with my family, contact the University, or seek professional support.
These circumstances affected my entire second year course load across both terms. I struggled to get out of bed, maintain routines, attend classes consistently, concentrate during lectures, complete assignments, and adequately prepare for exams. As I fell behind, unfinished work piled up and became overwhelming which led to further avoidance. I became isolated and lost interest in activities I had previously enjoyed.
I do not present my circumstances as any type of excuse or claim that every academic difficulty resulted from my mental health. My first year performance had already shown areas in which I needed to improve. I now recognize that my tendency to avoid difficult situations and suppress negative emotions had caused my situation to worsen. I did not seek out professional support, communicate honestly with my family and the University, and I failed to reconsider my course load when the situation became unmanageable. I accept responsibility for allowing the situation to continue without seeking proper help.
The Requirement to Withdraw notice was issued on May 26, 2026. By then, I had returned home on April 16 and begun working full-time in construction management. Although work helped me rebuild structure and routine, my anxiety and avoidance of my academic situation had not resolved. I focused on immediate work responsibilities and did not monitor SOLUS or Queen’s communications as carefully as I should have. Consequently, I did not see the notice within the 15 business day deadline. In June 2026, I began therapy to address my issues directly. I logged into SOLUS on July 13 to review course selection information. I saw the notice and immediately began to prepare my petition. I accept that monitoring my academic standing and Queen’s communications was my responsibility, and I regret not acting sooner.
I am no longer trying to manage these challenges through avoidance and isolation. I am continuing therapy, communicating openly with my parents, and rebuilding consistency through my employment. If permitted to return, I will work with a tutor or an academic coach from the very beginning of the term, meet with an academic advisor and follow the workload they recommend, prioritize in-person courses where possible, maintain a structured weekly schedule, check my Queen’s email and SOLUS daily, and use appropriate academic and wellness resources. A detailed academic plan outlining these measures is included with my petition
My preferred goal is to continue studying Economics. If that is not immediately possible, I am prepared to pursue a General Arts and Science degree or another pathway recommended by an academic advisor. I am willing to repeat second year, retake courses, follow an academic success plan, and meet any other conditions the Faculty considers appropriate.
Queen’s remains the place where I want to complete my education. I am not asking for my previous performance to be disregarded. I am asking for the opportunity to apply what I have learned and demonstrate that I am prepared to return with greater maturity, structure, and accountability.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Julien Morel #20475151