Petition Letter
Queen's University
Johanne Bénard
Associate Dean
Dear Ms. Bénard,
I am appealing the Faculty's decision that I must withdraw from Queen's University for a minimum of three years.
In the recent months, I had my first experience with depression. In March, a personal relationship of mine came to an end, triggering this episode. With this, I lost all sense of motivation, hope, and belief in myself. My emotional symptoms manifest physically, leading to extreme sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and concerning lack of appetite. I was unable to rest, equally incapable of getting out of bed, and hoping each next day would not come. I felt apathetic, and at times, struggled to concentrate long enough to hold a conversation. During this time, I was living with several other males in a home near central campus, and allowed myself to be distracted by them to avoid coping. These symptoms peaked around the end of March, as classes were winding down and exams began. By my first exam, a Pharmacology exam on April 7th, my depressive symptoms were in full force. I deeply regret not being more vocal at this time, as I knew that I was not in suitable condition to perform academically.
Beginning in March and continuing into May, I have been struggling with my depression. Being my first encounter with mental illness, I was absolutely not prepared to cope with this. I felt unable to speak about my experience or ask for help, and thus, spiraled into a very unwell state. Since then, I have seen my family doctor, who confirmed that my expected diagnosis of depression (as attached in the application). Additionally, I have reached out to a friend and a family member about my experiences, and found some much-needed support. I do agree that my academic performance in recent months is unacceptable, and that my personal life should not impact my studies as it had. However, I believe that these recent months have taught me a lot about overcoming situations like this. I believe that I am now capable utilizing the resources, both internal and external, that I need to be better and do better.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my appeal. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Sincerely,
Remi Oguni
10050883
Johanne Bénard
Associate Dean
Dear Ms. Bénard,
I am appealing the Faculty's decision that I must withdraw from Queen's University for a minimum of three years.
In the recent months, I had my first experience with depression. In March, a personal relationship of mine came to an end, triggering this episode. With this, I lost all sense of motivation, hope, and belief in myself. My emotional symptoms manifest physically, leading to extreme sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and concerning lack of appetite. I was unable to rest, equally incapable of getting out of bed, and hoping each next day would not come. I felt apathetic, and at times, struggled to concentrate long enough to hold a conversation. During this time, I was living with several other males in a home near central campus, and allowed myself to be distracted by them to avoid coping. These symptoms peaked around the end of March, as classes were winding down and exams began. By my first exam, a Pharmacology exam on April 7th, my depressive symptoms were in full force. I deeply regret not being more vocal at this time, as I knew that I was not in suitable condition to perform academically.
Beginning in March and continuing into May, I have been struggling with my depression. Being my first encounter with mental illness, I was absolutely not prepared to cope with this. I felt unable to speak about my experience or ask for help, and thus, spiraled into a very unwell state. Since then, I have seen my family doctor, who confirmed that my expected diagnosis of depression (as attached in the application). Additionally, I have reached out to a friend and a family member about my experiences, and found some much-needed support. I do agree that my academic performance in recent months is unacceptable, and that my personal life should not impact my studies as it had. However, I believe that these recent months have taught me a lot about overcoming situations like this. I believe that I am now capable utilizing the resources, both internal and external, that I need to be better and do better.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my appeal. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Sincerely,
Remi Oguni
10050883