By Sarah Hughes

News Editor

Dear Stephanie Borders,

Congratulations on graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Studies. I know you’ll make a wonderful and enthusiastic elementary school teacher. This role will be in addition to all the other captivating spaces you occupy – fabulous actress, model, dancer, fun friend, girly girl and Disney enthusiast (Well done! You now have as many occupations as Barbie).

I’ve had the honor of being friends with you from Palomar to transferring to CSUSM. It’s been fun listening to you talk about good and crazy teachers, trying to make schedules that balance with work, acting classes, passions explored, monologues, headshots, accidentally somehow volunteering to be in other students’ videos for their classes and too much homework.

I’ll never forget our exciting group project on Old Wives Tales in Dr. Metcalfe’s fairy tale class, the notes from which have gone to die in my email and Google Drive folders. It was hilarious seeing your reaction to the never ending Freudian interpretations of the tales of childhood. Some of those interpretations were clearly invented by people with too much time on their hands. Others destroyed Disney’s versions for us – and provided me with a couple hours entertainment from watching the reaction on your face.

I will always treasure our times spent dancing, exercising and lollygagging – sometimes all at once. The times spent talking or shopping, or meandering to the Westwood Club. The sleepovers with Grease and Grease II double features and lounging about. The dozens of ridiculous profile pictures and group selfies all over San Diego, often with Melody Parks, Katie Donalson or Mariah Paterson. The times you’d hall out your nail polish collection and insist on fourth of July mani/ pedis.

The times spent at your parents’ house rocking karaoke with Mrs. Borders, dancing like MJ and discovering our inner Wii bowling champions – a sharp contrast to my real bowling abilities. The hours spent getting ready as a group of giggling girls for a party bus with Katie. Our mutual delight in dorky themes and the costumes we delighted in.

Congrats on getting engaged to Bryan Wammack on June 7, 2013. I think you two are as perfect as people can be for each other. You have spent the last four years getting to know each other and I can’t wait to be there for the next four years to watch you grow. It has been an adventure getting to know him, with his smiling enthusiasm and bear hugs. It has been sweet to watch Bryan take care of you this semester. It was always obvious he cared a lot for you, but a man that will smile as he drives you every Monday and Wednesday, carts around your heavy stuff when you need help and happily get you out of class is pretty cool.

I look forward to watching you use your degree to serve your community.

Love you girl,

Sarah Hughes