Dae Borg is one-of-a-kind. I mean that. You could scour the world over for centuries and you’ĺl likely never find another Dae Borg. They say the name Dae denotes greatness. An appellation of Korean origin, it can be translated to “The Great One” or “Shining Beloved.” Poor adjectives. They fall flat when placed next to the one to whom they pertain. They cannot come close to actually describing Dae Borg. A far more accurate name would be Benevolent Magical Amiable Kind Nature Goddess That Blesses The World With Her Presence, but if we’re being honest, even this struggles to capture her essence.

It was August something, 2022. The first day of school. I remember it like it was 9 months ago. Strolling into class for the first time and seeing three people at the front of the room. All three were very noticeable, but one stood out as distinctly radiant, almost ablaze with visible excitement for the first day. I was immediately consumed with curiosity. “Who is this person? What status does she hold, that she can stand at the front of the room, while even the teacher is seated at her desk? And why on Earth is she so excited for the first day of school of all things?” These questions and many more raced through my head as I found my seat and told everyone who I thought my celebrity doppelganger was. Later on that week, the first assignment of the year was announced: one was to compose a bit of a get-to-know-you presentation to be displayed in front of the class. The catch? You made it about someone else, a partner. Step one was to meet with your partner and have a conversation, with the aim of learning as much as possible about them. As luck would have it, my assigned partner was the one by whose presence I had previously been astounded.

All of my questions were answered during our conversation. Who? None other than Dae Borg. What? Why, she was one of the two highly esteemed Executive Editors, nearly the highest position one can hold in Newspaper. Why was she so happy on that traditional day of dread for students everywhere? Because Dae is simply a ball of positive energy. During our conversation, that was what struck me the most. Just as notable were her humor and kindness, but above all, I was impressed by her absolute zeal for… just about everything. Everything we talked about, between nature, getting clothes out of old trash bins, paninis, or — God forbid she go unmentioned — the Great Gaga, was discussed with an air of great excitement. I’d never even had a panini before, and her enthusiasm for the pressed Italian sandwich sold me on the idea of starting a club for them. Even in the abominable AP Spanish, Dae is seldom seen without a smile, rarely found without a joke to tell (albeit with varying degrees of humor).

In our quest to represent Dae as best as possible, we spoke to a myriad of her closest friends to deliver a credible account of Dae’s impact on their lives. Kristin Nagy spoke fondly of their adventures together at the distinct grass patch (aptly named “The Gratch” by Dae). There they would often find themselves “hanging out and talking and getting food”, an experienced she described as “really awesome and nice.” When asked what Dae would be were she reincarnated as a part of the natural world, Kyra Wilson described her as grass, a plant that envelops much of the planet in its warm embrace. Grass also possesses the commendable quality of adaptability, able to survive in a variety of climates and soil conditions, akin to how Dae is quick to thrive in diverse situations, embrace change, and adapt to new environments. (Kyra first met Dae in Beginning Chorus, where she was dancing in the corner on the first day.) Kristin chose to describe Dae as a whale, noting that she was “very large and impactful” and gave off “great whale energy.” Safe to say, those who regularly interact with Dae seem to hold the same sentiments that we do: She’s simply a fantastic person.

Early on in the year, I must admit, I was rather directionless. I had stagnated. I had no idea what to write, or how to write it. It was Dae who reached out to me and offered to collaborate on my first article, a crossfire about the ethics of designer babies. I can’t adequately express how valuable that experience was to me. It helped me find my footing in an unfamiliar environment, and through it, I learned what I wanted to write, and what I liked writing about. It was an enlightening experience that really affected me personally as a writer, and that’s all thanks to Dae.

In June, Dae Borg will be leaving us for Appalachian State University. As a future Mountaineer, she plans to major in Environmental Science, looking to be an environmental journalist. We’re all deeply saddened by her departure, but I, for one, find comfort in the notion that if she maintains her passion for life and her kindness to everyone — and we know she will — then the future will be as bright as her namesake.