Prom. One of the most exciting hallmarks of our high school years. High school students spend months deciding who goes with who, what dress, and what music will be played. Everything has to be perfect. Add a global pandemic into the mix and questions arise. Now those choices will be fewer. Out of “an abundance of caution” (a phrase uttered again and again this year, prom is now restricted to Emerson residence only. Considering how athletes and other clubs are permitted to play unmasked, we feel it is wrong for administrators to be more restrictive when it comes to prom dates. 

Along with everything else COVID has impacted, prom will not be the same as we originally anticipated at the start of our high school careers. COVID is putting restrictions on where it can be held, who can be taken, and the experience we are all going to have. The event will not be held at a venue, but rather in the backyard of the school. We are not allowed to take dates from different grades or other towns, only the Emerson class of 2022. While we will still have fun and enjoy our time, everyone wishes it was a little different. Everyone had probably dreamed of having a big ballroom and tons of tables; however this is not the case anymore. Before COVID threw us for a loop, many people were planning on bringing dates from different towns and schools. Now, we can not do that. 

Many students have often asked “why not?” and no one has seemed to give us a good answer. Everyone being asked this question seems to brush it off as “COVID precautions;” however, they are not listening to our valid answers. A lot of 2022 students have come up with solutions as to ways we can have a somewhat normal prom, and no one seems to listen. People brought up COVID testing for all outside of school members and it was never brought into consideration. People asked how we are allowed to play indoor sports with no masks against other schools but we are not allowed to bring our boyfriends/girlfriends, and friends who we are all hanging out with regularly to an outdoor event with masks. None of these questions were even thought about which caused a lot of confusion between the administrators, class officers, and student body. All we wanted was to be able to live the experience we thought about and we aren’t even given the chance.

Prom is now just a week and a half out and no changes have been made. We had tried to speak to and email administrators in an attempt to have a normal prom and our voices have not been heard. Despite the restrictions put in place, everyone is super excited and looking forward to enjoying their time with the grade. Girls have picked out their dresses, people chose dates, and we even got a super cool food truck to cater the event. Even though it is not what we expected or even hoped for it to be, I know that the class of 2022 will still make it a very memorable night for everyone.