Over the course of my internship at SCDNR, I learned a great many things about the field of archaeology. If I went through all of the highlights of this experience, I would be writing for hours. The staff at DNR made sure to immerse us in situations that may have been out of our comfort zone, but ultimately our discomfort led to a more productive learning environment. 

Out of everything we did this summer, my favorite activity was our disaster training. In this training we were thrust into a scenario where we were tasked with preserving artifacts damaged by a hurricane. We were all assigned different roles in this simulation in order to maximize productivity and collaboration. The different roles in the simulation were runners to transport the artifacts back and forth from the outside of the building to the indoor facility, scribes to record the artifacts, media representatives to address the press, and task force managers.

The objects were scattered around the yard of Parker Annex, thrown in kiddie pools and soaked with water. We were also bothered by persistent reporters and volunteers that couldn’t keep up with the heat and experienced health crises. I was assigned the task of being a scribe. My duty in this was to record every object that was damaged or displaced and provide a brief description so they could be re-catalogued after they were restored. 

The most difficult challenge that I faced during this simulation was coordinating with the two other scribes of the group. It was challenging to both be quick with the time limit we had and to also make sure that no items were cataloged with different identification numbers. 

I enjoyed this simulation because it taught us how to deal with a chaotic environment while in a controlled situation. Knowing how to deal with extreme circumstances such as these will no doubt be useful later on in my career when it comes to dealing with unforeseen and certainly stressful circumstances. It was especially beneficial to have access to cold air conditioning when the heat proved to be a little too intense.

I’m glad that my peers and I were able to receive training on this subject without the risk of real injury, bodily harm, or loss. Not only was this a very educational experience, but I also had a lot of fun and would totally do it again given the chance.