Petition Letter
A number of extenuating circumstances had an impact on my academic performance during the fall 2016 term.
For starters, I have been dealing with depression for a number of years. During the latter few months of 2016 was working with my doctor to adjust my dose of the antidepressant medication I was on, as I was experiences a number of unpredicted side effects. I was struggling with an anxiety disorder that was unknowingly a side effect of the medication that I was taking. I was experiencing periodic, generalized anxiety that would affect me during tests, in classes, during my independent study times and most of my personal life. Under certain circumstances, I would be so anxious that I could hardly read the words of questions being asked in front of me as they would appear blurry (I have perfect vision) and there was often a disconnect between my mind and body during classes, impacting my ability to take in information. I eventually recognized my medication as a source of the problem and slowly weaned off my antidepressant. I have been going to counselling since I started at Queen's and have recently been working with a great psychologist on deconstructing the way my mind works and have a better understanding of what causes my depression. Since I have started working with him at the beginning of January, I have been significantly more mentally stable and haven't had nearly as debilitating issues with depression (and absolutely nothing with anxiety).
Another significant factor of my poor academic performance last term was my relationship. My partner at the time was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder around mid-October and I ended up the center in a lot of his mess. I was finding myself in a number of unsafe situations that I wasn't able to take action of until December and working with my counsellor helped a lot. I don't entirely know how to explain everything that went on, but a lot of people got hurt because of him and it was incredibly difficult to manage him and my own life until I got out of it. We haven't spoken since December and my love and personal lives are otherwise fine now.
I hope that you will consider my appeal to remove BIOL 243 from my transcript and allow me to accept credit standing for BIOL 201 and 205. In BIOL 243, I wasn't able to write both midterms for the class due to extenuating circumstances. In BIOL 201 and 205, I was hardly able to be present during the latter half of the classes and was left to teach myself the bulk of the course materials during the study break in exam season.
I am a good student, and while I'm not one for straight A's, I do well, and for all of my courses this term I'm projecting my final marks to be somewhere between B and A-. I have been in a good place this term and haven't had to forfeit tests, assignments, quizzes or any other course requirements because of extenuating circumstances.
Thank you in advance for considering my appeal and I am very appreciative of this opportunity.
Best regards,
Matthew Agius
For starters, I have been dealing with depression for a number of years. During the latter few months of 2016 was working with my doctor to adjust my dose of the antidepressant medication I was on, as I was experiences a number of unpredicted side effects. I was struggling with an anxiety disorder that was unknowingly a side effect of the medication that I was taking. I was experiencing periodic, generalized anxiety that would affect me during tests, in classes, during my independent study times and most of my personal life. Under certain circumstances, I would be so anxious that I could hardly read the words of questions being asked in front of me as they would appear blurry (I have perfect vision) and there was often a disconnect between my mind and body during classes, impacting my ability to take in information. I eventually recognized my medication as a source of the problem and slowly weaned off my antidepressant. I have been going to counselling since I started at Queen's and have recently been working with a great psychologist on deconstructing the way my mind works and have a better understanding of what causes my depression. Since I have started working with him at the beginning of January, I have been significantly more mentally stable and haven't had nearly as debilitating issues with depression (and absolutely nothing with anxiety).
Another significant factor of my poor academic performance last term was my relationship. My partner at the time was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder around mid-October and I ended up the center in a lot of his mess. I was finding myself in a number of unsafe situations that I wasn't able to take action of until December and working with my counsellor helped a lot. I don't entirely know how to explain everything that went on, but a lot of people got hurt because of him and it was incredibly difficult to manage him and my own life until I got out of it. We haven't spoken since December and my love and personal lives are otherwise fine now.
I hope that you will consider my appeal to remove BIOL 243 from my transcript and allow me to accept credit standing for BIOL 201 and 205. In BIOL 243, I wasn't able to write both midterms for the class due to extenuating circumstances. In BIOL 201 and 205, I was hardly able to be present during the latter half of the classes and was left to teach myself the bulk of the course materials during the study break in exam season.
I am a good student, and while I'm not one for straight A's, I do well, and for all of my courses this term I'm projecting my final marks to be somewhere between B and A-. I have been in a good place this term and haven't had to forfeit tests, assignments, quizzes or any other course requirements because of extenuating circumstances.
Thank you in advance for considering my appeal and I am very appreciative of this opportunity.
Best regards,
Matthew Agius