What do you think of when you hear the phrase time capsule? Probably a collection of photos, letters, and other nostalgic mementos stuffed in a cylindrical container and buried somewhere under the ground.
But Elle Robison, a junior studying communications at the College of Charleston, has a different idea. Her time capsule is the Amazon Prime docuseries Sweethearts.
This past February, the 10-episode, unscripted series Sweethearts was released on Prime. The show follows the journeys of six teenage couples from Charleston as they navigate the dramatic shift from high school to college. One of those couples is Robison and her boyfriend Justin Coleman.
“One of Justin’s friends had heard about the opportunity and encouraged our friend group to do it together,” Robison explains, remembering how the recruitment process started with a simple DM on Instagram. “We went through a few interviews and, at the time, Justin and I had only been dating for four months. It was definitely a leap of faith!”
But it was a leap that could push her forward in her aspirations to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. So, she just had to take it.
Filming for the show started in March 2023 and lasted through that August.
“The first time the group filmed all together at the beach, it definitely felt somewhat surreal,” Robison recalls. “I genuinely was so nervous because I had never experienced something like this before. There were people crowded around watching us being filmed, taking their own photos and videos.”
The attention bubbled as the friends were filmed at popular destinations all over Charleston, like Kiawah Island, the South Carolina Aquarium, Shem Creek and Waterfront Park. Bringing the spotlight with them across the city definitely took some getting used to, especially when it was brought to their high school.
“I filmed at my high school and my senior prom, so I had to get outside of my comfort zone since there were lots of eyes on me and the other cast members,” Robison says. “Being on a show when you are in high school is going to be out of the ordinary, for sure.”
Despite the initial shock, the constant camera attention eventually grew more comfortable.
“It became second nature,” Robison says. “It was nerve-wracking a lot of the time, but we eventually got used to the looks and questions.”
Although Robison has had a break from the spotlight since starting college, it hasn’t completely left her. In fact, she’s found a way to share that spotlight with her CofC peers through her involvement with sports media at the College. Robison also does photography for local teams in Charleston and coaches a 14U club volleyball team.
And her relationship with Justin is still going strong.
“Since being in college, Justin and I have maintained our relationship and will hit our three-year anniversary in May!” she shares. “We even started a little YouTube channel to post more of our lives and keep the story going.”
Being featured in an Amazon docuseries is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – and Robison is so glad she had it.
“Looking back now,” she says, “I am thankful for the moments it captured so that now I have somewhat of a time capsule from high school.”
