About Emma '20

“Go with your gut, don’t be afraid to take a risk,” says Emma, a Saint Mary’s boarding student from Virginia. “Being a new student feels risky, but being a boarding student has taught me more about myself than I ever thought possible.”

According to Emma, the boarding experience helped her “step out of her comfort zone” and taught her a lot about herself as she got to know new people from around the state, the country and the world. “At first, it’s scary, but you make friends quickly. The friends I’ve made this first year, and the experiences I’ve had, have really made me grow a lot.” She admits being a little homesick her first week at school, but as she got more acquainted with the people and the place, and found there was a whole community of people she could “trust and rely on to help her through any difficult situation.”

Emma liked that all the 9th grade boarders were together in one residence hall. “Being all together helped me get to know everyone really well – not just the girls in my closest group of friends.” Having never shared a room with anyone before, she says “it is different, but it’s really great; there’s always someone to talk to and you always have a friend around.”

There are other things Emma likes about boarding too: “Boarding is definitely a plus. I can walk down the hall to get help from the teachers on duty – there’s always great access to teachers. And boarding will help prepare me for my future, especially college, because I have to do things on my own like laundry, choosing what to eat, managing my room and my time, and learning to live with someone else.”

For Emma, the boarding experience combined with all the other opportunities available to her at Saint Mary’s, from great teachers in the classroom, to athletics and the arts, to extracurriculars and access to all downtown Raleigh has to offer, make Saint Mary’s the perfect place for her. At Saint Mary’s, girls have the chance to explore new ideas, discover new interests, and achieve more than they ever imagined.

“I’m really happy with my decision to board at Saint Mary’s School and with the way I’ve grown during my first year here. I’m glad I took the risk because there are so many opportunities I would miss if I wasn’t here.”