Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
I am appealing to withdraw from my 2014 Fall term courses after the withdraw deadline of October 31st without academic penalty, due to significant personal matters.
I've been struggling with an undiagnosed eating disorder over the past year and a half, which I had been going to counselling for in my hometown before coming to Queens University. I had been improving in the summer months, enough that I felt I would not need counselling or medical treatment upon travelling to Kingston to attend University. Beginning in October, I began to notice symptoms returning, as the anxieties and stress from course work caused me to revert back into restriction as a form of coping. This in turn left me extremely exhausted and prone to fainting spells. I found it very difficult to concentrate in class, enough so that my marks began to drop and I started passing out through classes. My symptoms escalated at a pace that had never happened previously, and that worried me enough to contact Freeman Woolnough in Victoria Hall starting November 5th to discuss options for me. I became extremely tired throughout days, and began sleeping for extended amounts of time, often over ten hours, due to the lack of energy I was providing my body with. I also found it difficbult to travel for longer than 10-15 minutes without feeling sick and dizzy, often resulting in lightheadedness or fainting. I found my symptoms made it extremely difficult to complete homework and coursework, and made it difficult to attend classes on a regular basis.
My intentions after leaving University are to look into health care options locally, including the possibility of checking into an eating disorder clinic to be examined further. After I deal with my mental state regarding both anxiety and disordered eating, I plan to return to university to complete my degree, which is why I hope to erase the academic penalties from my record. Regarding a return to Queens University specifically, at the time I believe it would be more beneficial for me to stay closer to home, perhaps to study at Brock University, so as to be closer to health facilities in my home area.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Summerfield
I am appealing to withdraw from my 2014 Fall term courses after the withdraw deadline of October 31st without academic penalty, due to significant personal matters.
I've been struggling with an undiagnosed eating disorder over the past year and a half, which I had been going to counselling for in my hometown before coming to Queens University. I had been improving in the summer months, enough that I felt I would not need counselling or medical treatment upon travelling to Kingston to attend University. Beginning in October, I began to notice symptoms returning, as the anxieties and stress from course work caused me to revert back into restriction as a form of coping. This in turn left me extremely exhausted and prone to fainting spells. I found it very difficult to concentrate in class, enough so that my marks began to drop and I started passing out through classes. My symptoms escalated at a pace that had never happened previously, and that worried me enough to contact Freeman Woolnough in Victoria Hall starting November 5th to discuss options for me. I became extremely tired throughout days, and began sleeping for extended amounts of time, often over ten hours, due to the lack of energy I was providing my body with. I also found it difficbult to travel for longer than 10-15 minutes without feeling sick and dizzy, often resulting in lightheadedness or fainting. I found my symptoms made it extremely difficult to complete homework and coursework, and made it difficult to attend classes on a regular basis.
My intentions after leaving University are to look into health care options locally, including the possibility of checking into an eating disorder clinic to be examined further. After I deal with my mental state regarding both anxiety and disordered eating, I plan to return to university to complete my degree, which is why I hope to erase the academic penalties from my record. Regarding a return to Queens University specifically, at the time I believe it would be more beneficial for me to stay closer to home, perhaps to study at Brock University, so as to be closer to health facilities in my home area.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Summerfield