The summer before I moved to New York City,
I received handwritten letters in the mail from my house exec team. They were already praying for me and excited to welcome me with hugs in the fall. I felt loved, seen, and valued. Despite my uncertainty about moving away from my family, friends, and hometown, I knew I chose the right school.
Prior to attending King’s, I never expected upperclassmen would invest in me, or even notice me. But the girls in my house (including those not in leadership positions) have established relationships with me, not out of obligation but out of genuine friendship. The community at King’s is extraordinary. My college experience would be entirely different without my cherished friendships; I would be entirely different.
The months I’ve spent at King’s have been abundant—overflowing with love, joy, growth, and gratitude. Outside of my house, I found a church, attend a bi-weekly prayer group, met dear friends, and explore a city I cherish. King’s has taught me tough love: challenging curriculum calmed by caring professors, an overwhelming city full of both hope and grief, and laughing through the challenges of adulthood with my friends. I have experienced the difficulty of college and a new era of my life, but I have never been alone. I was welcomed into the small, but delightful, community unique to King’s. Today, I feel the same uncertainty I did before moving to New York City. While I cannot know the future, I know I chose the right school.
With love,
Alaina
Alaina Smith
Student | House of Margaret Thatcher | Class of '26
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