Sam (that's Samantha to you) and I have known each other for almost three years now. We were colleagues back at work for a few months, struggling madly and working crazy hours to fulfill the demands of the media life. 

We all loved her because she was such a tough, smart cookie with such a lovable demeanour. 

At the time, she was making a tough but happy choice, whether to accept a scholarship and study locally, or decline it and study overseas. We'd all been giving our two cents when Sam was trying to decide and I believe she was considering both options at that point. One night, we happened to meet each other while walking back home (we live down the road from each other), and Sam told me about the dilemma she was facing.

"Well," I'd said, only half in jest, "studying overseas is an amazing experience and imagine all the cute clothes you'll be able to layer with brightly coloured tights!"

I'd like to think that that contributed to the deciding factors, partly because we're girls after each other's hearts and also because if someone had said that to me, it would probably have swayed my decision making process somewhat. You may think this shallow, but it's tried and tested that looking good, feeling good and doing good equate.

Fast forward several years, and by a dramatic twist of fate, I've ended up in the same school where Sam is about to finish her final year and embark on what I know is going to be a very successful career.

When I told her I was coming to Inklund to her alma mater, the first delighted thing she said to me was: "Now you'll be able to layer cute clothes too!"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you know you've made a lifelong friend.