Petition Letter
Associate Dean
I am appealing for Credit Standing for 1 course I took in the 2016-2017 school year Chem 112. I am a transfer student to Queens and was admitted to the biology department. During my first semester, here (the fall 2016 semester) I started experiencing anxiety and panic attacks that were amplified by medication I take for ADHD. Because of these issues I discontinued my ADHD medication and was prescribed an anti-depressant by a doctor at the student health clinic. The issues with my medications negatively affected my studies here at queens because after stopping the ADHD medication it became difficult to concentrate, sit still and remember important information which made it difficult to absorb the information from lectures and focus during exams. I sought out solutions to the issues I was having by going to the doctors, trying a new medication and attending counseling sessions. After being on a steady anti-depressant for about 5 weeks and attending counseling sessions my symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks and dealing with ADHD without medication became more manageable. During this same semester, I fell ill with bronchitis which was diagnosed on October 31st. I visited the doctor again on Nov 18th presenting with symptoms that had worsened from bronchitis to pneumonia. On Nov 21st, I visited the doctor again with an allergic reaction to the pneumonia medication. The pneumonia was completely gone about two weeks after the last doctors visit. Having bronchitis and pneumonia along with the medication complications and doctors visits was physically exhausting and time consuming, I was able to attend most of my lectures and labs but after class I would be to exhausted to get out of bed or do school work, I had to stop attending club meetings and volunteer positions I had taken on at the beginning of the semester as well. I attempted to eradicate my illness by seeing a doctor and taking medications which although they eventually worked took some time to do so. In the future, I plan to deal with my illnesses by taking my prescribed medications and continue attending counseling sessions so that my illnesses do not interfere with my school work and performance. Being healthy in the winter semester had a positive impact on my academics and by the end of the semester, I achieved grades of B BIOL 202, B BIOL 206, A PHARM 100 and A in ANAT 100. Although I believe my winter semester grades are reflective of my academic abilities as an able-bodied person my full year chemistry course suffered due to the illnesses I was experiencing in the first half of the course as well as falling behind in the course during the fall semester
Best, Sarah Colby-Dobell
10177591
I am appealing for Credit Standing for 1 course I took in the 2016-2017 school year Chem 112. I am a transfer student to Queens and was admitted to the biology department. During my first semester, here (the fall 2016 semester) I started experiencing anxiety and panic attacks that were amplified by medication I take for ADHD. Because of these issues I discontinued my ADHD medication and was prescribed an anti-depressant by a doctor at the student health clinic. The issues with my medications negatively affected my studies here at queens because after stopping the ADHD medication it became difficult to concentrate, sit still and remember important information which made it difficult to absorb the information from lectures and focus during exams. I sought out solutions to the issues I was having by going to the doctors, trying a new medication and attending counseling sessions. After being on a steady anti-depressant for about 5 weeks and attending counseling sessions my symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks and dealing with ADHD without medication became more manageable. During this same semester, I fell ill with bronchitis which was diagnosed on October 31st. I visited the doctor again on Nov 18th presenting with symptoms that had worsened from bronchitis to pneumonia. On Nov 21st, I visited the doctor again with an allergic reaction to the pneumonia medication. The pneumonia was completely gone about two weeks after the last doctors visit. Having bronchitis and pneumonia along with the medication complications and doctors visits was physically exhausting and time consuming, I was able to attend most of my lectures and labs but after class I would be to exhausted to get out of bed or do school work, I had to stop attending club meetings and volunteer positions I had taken on at the beginning of the semester as well. I attempted to eradicate my illness by seeing a doctor and taking medications which although they eventually worked took some time to do so. In the future, I plan to deal with my illnesses by taking my prescribed medications and continue attending counseling sessions so that my illnesses do not interfere with my school work and performance. Being healthy in the winter semester had a positive impact on my academics and by the end of the semester, I achieved grades of B BIOL 202, B BIOL 206, A PHARM 100 and A in ANAT 100. Although I believe my winter semester grades are reflective of my academic abilities as an able-bodied person my full year chemistry course suffered due to the illnesses I was experiencing in the first half of the course as well as falling behind in the course during the fall semester
Best, Sarah Colby-Dobell
10177591