BOSTON (Reuters) - Like Cinderella, Emily Appleton dreamed of going to the ball and dancing with her Prince Charming. But the coronavirus spoiled everything.
FILE PHOTO: Mila Contreras-Godfrey, Katie Reisig, Gwyn McLear and Melina Bertsekas, high school seniors graduating from Beaver Country Day School, walk through Larz Anderson Park while posing for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Faith Ninivaggi
Now, all the high school senior in South Shore, Massachusetts, can do is stare at the dark blue prom dress hanging in her bedroom since December, and commiserate by phone with schoolmates who are also facing an uncertain future during the pandemic.
An outdoor photo shoot by a Reuters photographer this month did at least give her and her friends a chance to dress up and pose for the camera.
“It’s definitely bittersweet,” said Appleton, 17, a state swimming champion bound for college in the fall.
The high school prom - short for promenade dance - is an American rite of passage, usually held in April through June before graduation. Plans for the event can be as elaborate as weddings, with dresses bought months in advance, stylists organized to fix hair and makeup, and limousines hired to take the partygoers to the party.
But those plans have been dashed for many of the seniors of 2020, with lockdowns that may extend through the autumn.
Boston high schoolers and best friends Lucie Mareira and Shea Mikalauskis showed up to the photo shoot in long slinky dresses, their hair tied up. Instead of high heels, they wore practical flip flops to trek around Ponkapoag Pond in Canton.
“It was a relief to get it off our shoulders, and not feel the constant sadness of not having a prom, to know others felt the same way,” said Mareira.
“By doing the photo shoot we’re helping other people by saying we’re going through it too,” said Mikalauskis, an aspiring nurse.
The teenagers said they were getting through the dull hours of 24-7 lockdown by exercising, baking, journaling or chatting.
“Everyday feels like Sunday” was a common refrain.
“Surreal,” said Melina Bertsekas, from Lexington. “I’m still kind of in denial.”
Caroline Afonso, however, was relieved.
“The drama around prom is so stupid. The actual prom is boring,” said the Dedham teen.
FILE PHOTO: Micah Long, a high school senior graduating from Dana Hall School, poses for a portrait for Reuters in her prom dress, after her prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 16, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Olivia Dennehey, a senior graduating from Medway High School, puts on dress shoes to pose for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after her prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Choate Park in Medway, Massachusetts, U.S. May 17, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Thomas Stone, a high school junior at Boston Latin School, and Maeve O'Toole and MK Rusnock, high school seniors graduating from Ursuline Academy, wear their prom attire while posing for photographs for Reuters after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in the Arnold Arboretum in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Maeve O’Toole, a high school senior graduating from Ursuline Academy, and Thomas Stone, a high school junior at Boston Latin School, walk through the Arnold Arboretum in their prom attire while posing for photographs for Reuters, after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. May 8, 2020. Picture taken May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Caroline Afonso and MK Rusnock, high school seniors graduating from Ursuline Academy, walk through the Arnold Arboretum while posing for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. May 8, 2020. Picture taken May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Caroline Afonso, MK Rusnock, and Maeve O'Toole, high school seniors graduating from Ursuline Academy, wear their prom dresses, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, to pose for photographs for Reuters in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. May 8, 2020. Picture taken May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Elizabeth Toomey, Camille Steiger, Ruby Roberts, Micah Long, and Lauren Copeland, high school seniors graduating from Dana Hall School, pose for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 16, 2020. Picture taken May 16, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Maeve O'Toole, a high school senior graduating from Ursuline Academy, and Thomas Stone, a high school junior at Boston Latin School, wear their prom attire while posing for photographs for Reuters after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Arnold Arboretum in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. May 8, 2020. Picture taken May 8, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Shea Mikalauskis, a high school senior graduating from Boston Latin Academy, poses for a portrait for Reuters in her prom dress the day before what was supposed to be her prom, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Ponkapoag Pond in Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 21, 2020. Picture taken May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Graduating Cohasset High School seniors Emily Appleton, Lauren Fein, and Page Hewitt, stand on the town common while posing for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cohasset, Massachusetts, U.S. May 20, 2020. Picture taken May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lucie Mareira, a high school senior graduating from Boston Latin Academy, poses for a portrait for Reuters in her prom dress the day before what was supposed to be her prom, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Ponkapoag Pond in Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 21, 2020. Picture taken May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Graduating Cohasset High School senior Lauren Fein, with classmates Emily Appleton and Page Hewitt hidden behind U.S. flags, poses for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cohasset, Massachusetts, U.S. May 20, 2020. Picture taken May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Medway High School students Caroline Dickie, Aoife Bergeron, Olivia Dennehey, and Lauren Norton, pose for photographs for Reuters in their prom attire, after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Choate Park in Medway, Massachusetts, U.S. May 17, 2020. Picture taken May 17, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lucie Mareira and Shea Mikalauskis, high school seniors graduating from Boston Latin Academy, walk through Ponkapoag Pond while posing for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 21, 2020. Picture taken May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lucie Mareira and Shea Mikalauskis, high school seniors graduating from Boston Latin Academy, pose for a portrait for Reuters in their prom dresses the day before what was supposed to be their prom, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Ponkapoag Pond in Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 21, 2020. Picture taken May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Yisam Laracuente, a high-school senior graduating from Margarita Muniz Academy, poses for a portrait for Reuters, after his prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, U.S. May 22, 2020. Picture taken May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Graduating Cohasset High School senior Emily Appleton, who plans to attend Dartmouth College to swim and study Biomedical Engineering, poses for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cohasset, Massachusetts, U.S. May 20, 2020. Picture taken May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Olivia Dennehey, Caroline Dickie, and Lauren Norton, seniors graduating from Medway High School, pose for photographs for Reuters in their prom dress, after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Choate Park in Medway, Massachusetts, U.S. May 17, 2020. Picture taken May 17, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lucie Mareira, a high school senior graduating from Boston Latin Academy, poses for a portrait for Reuters in her prom dress, the day before what was supposed to be her prom which was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Ponkapoag Pond in Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 21, 2020. Picture taken May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Mila Contreras-Godfrey, a graduating senior at Beaver Country Day School, holds a dandelion while posing for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. May 22, 2020. Picture taken May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Gwyn McLear, a graduating senior at Beaver Country Day School, lies in the grass while posing for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. May 22, 2020. Picture taken May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Gwyn McLear, a graduating senior at Beaver Country Day School, lies in the grass while posing for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. May 22, 2020. Picture taken May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lauren Copeland, Camille Steiger, Ruby Roberts, Micah Long and Elizabeth Toomey, high school seniors graduating from Dana Hall School, put on masks while posing for photographs for Reuters in their prom dresses, after their prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts, U.S. May 16, 2020. Picture taken May 16, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiFILE PHOTO: Lauren Norton, a senior graduating from Medway High School, blows dandelion seeds while posing for photographs for Reuters in her prom dress, after her prom was cancelled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Choate Park in Medway, Massachusetts, U.S. May 17, 2020. Picture taken May 17, 2020. REUTERS/Faith NinivaggiSlideshow (24 Images)
With little certainty about how or if colleges will reopen in the fall, teenagers are stuck with few options. Paying high tuition fees for online classes makes little sense - but neither does taking a gap year to stay at home.
But lessons from the lockdown are gems.
“You learn who your real friends are,” said 18-year-old Lauren Norton.