Petition Letter
Please accept this letter of appeal, a request for Credit Standing of my Fall 2018 course, BMED 270. Due to psychological based extenuating circumstances that were beyond my control. I have been diagnosed with mental health disorders for 4 years, however this psychological challenge worsened in October 2018. These circumstances are continuing to affect me.
Winter 2018, I took a research methods course and performed poorly. In an attempt to redeem myself on my transcript, and increase my knowledge in the field, I took a research methods course with a different faculty. Unlike my other courses of the Fall 2018 semester, I experienced a lot of anxiety that was a result specifically to this course.
These circumstances resulted in an avoidance of activities related to this course, poor memory in regards to assignments, tests, and deadlines, and greater anxiety regarding personal pressure to improve. These factors led me to perform poorly in the course. I did not consider dropping the course, I had hoped my circumstances would improve. With each missed deadline and moment of forgetfulness in regards to material, I grew more anxious and started avoiding the course. I did not bring these concerns to the professor of the course. I felt as though I was bothering the professor too much as is, asking for clarification very often.
At the time, I did go see my family doctor in an attempt to help the situation. She increased my medication dosage, and told me to continue visiting Queen's counselling. I was at the time, and still am, seeing a Queen's counsellor on a monthly basis.
In an attempt to improve my circumstances, I have engaged with many resources available to me at Queen's. I am seeing a Queen's counselor monthly, where we talk about techniques to reduce my anxiety and improve my approach to academics. I have been referred by my Queen's doctor to psychiatry, where I have had my medication altered that will ideally improve my anxiety. The psychiatrist told me that the dosage of medication I was on previously, including the time period of this appeal, was much too high and causing more side effects than good. She also referred me to psychotherapy over the summer, which has a reduced waiting list at that time, which will mean that I will ideally have access at that time. I have taken to reading material that is meant to teach me how to live with my anxiety and still perform at my best. I also got back into some activities I had enjoyed in the past, which also engage me in cardio exercise. While I am still struggling, I do feel my circumstances are continuing to improve.
Winter 2018, I took a research methods course and performed poorly. In an attempt to redeem myself on my transcript, and increase my knowledge in the field, I took a research methods course with a different faculty. Unlike my other courses of the Fall 2018 semester, I experienced a lot of anxiety that was a result specifically to this course.
These circumstances resulted in an avoidance of activities related to this course, poor memory in regards to assignments, tests, and deadlines, and greater anxiety regarding personal pressure to improve. These factors led me to perform poorly in the course. I did not consider dropping the course, I had hoped my circumstances would improve. With each missed deadline and moment of forgetfulness in regards to material, I grew more anxious and started avoiding the course. I did not bring these concerns to the professor of the course. I felt as though I was bothering the professor too much as is, asking for clarification very often.
At the time, I did go see my family doctor in an attempt to help the situation. She increased my medication dosage, and told me to continue visiting Queen's counselling. I was at the time, and still am, seeing a Queen's counsellor on a monthly basis.
In an attempt to improve my circumstances, I have engaged with many resources available to me at Queen's. I am seeing a Queen's counselor monthly, where we talk about techniques to reduce my anxiety and improve my approach to academics. I have been referred by my Queen's doctor to psychiatry, where I have had my medication altered that will ideally improve my anxiety. The psychiatrist told me that the dosage of medication I was on previously, including the time period of this appeal, was much too high and causing more side effects than good. She also referred me to psychotherapy over the summer, which has a reduced waiting list at that time, which will mean that I will ideally have access at that time. I have taken to reading material that is meant to teach me how to live with my anxiety and still perform at my best. I also got back into some activities I had enjoyed in the past, which also engage me in cardio exercise. While I am still struggling, I do feel my circumstances are continuing to improve.