Scoping Harding-style Finding fun is easy if you know where to look t really does happen here at · Harding. Everywhere. It happens in the cafeteria, the student center, the library. It occurs in chapel, church, campus movies and at all sporting events. It is done in the laundrymat, on the front lawn, and from the second floor windows of all buildings on campus. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Harding scope. Please, feign not shock or disbelief, for you know quite well that this is an integral part of your life. Being the vibrant youth which you are, you are constantly aware of the examples of the opposite sex which spin in, through, and out of your life every minute of every day. And as they spin through, you check them out. This is the scope, and its forms are many. Take, for instance, the innocuous setting of the library. Picture a young man at a table in the periodical reading room. His position is such that he can see clearly all those who enter and exit the room. The book is propped up on the table partially obscuring his face . His look is intense. A young woman enters the room. His eyes dart up over the book to lock on her as she makes her way to a table. His mind is whirring, filing bits of data, retreiving others, until she is cataloged and secured in his mind. His eyes are still fixed on her ... wait, she's looking up . . . she sees him . . . eye contact is made. The scope is over. What Table talk. Freshman Stephanie Elchuch , sophomore Suzan Henson, and junior Janice Ogburn, chit chat while sitting at the Mexican Aid table set up by Campus Ministry in the Student Center, a popular place to socialize. photo by Jeff Robinson . 26 Scoping we now have is an encounter, which is entirely different, and, in most cases, is never followed up. Scoping is not at all limited to the males. In fact, the women are constantly scoping guys, no matter the situation. Case in point: A young man who leads in church or chapel. The second he approaches the podium, every female in the building is rating him. Shamelessly. The following is a glimpse into the thoughts of a young lady as she observes the young man on display. "OK, nice approach. Confident. Pretty tie. Maybe a lighter shade of red would be nicer. Nice hair, too. Oh, wow, nice speaking voice. He announced the number twice. Good. Here's the important part . . . oh . . . well, maybe he just had surgery. Nice suit though. Now, that guy sitting on the left ..." Ah, young ladies, am I correct? The scope is a many faceted ordeal. Sometimes the scopee is quite aware that he or she is under observation and this tends to alter behavior in a most peculiar manner. For example, we all know that whenever anyone ascends or descends the bleachers at a sporting event all eyes are on, not the game but the party climbing about in front of us. When thousands of eyes are turned upon a person, certain alterations take place. In males, the chest juts out the shoulders are thrown back and the aggressive swagger is adopted. In females, the walk takes on a bit more, ah, personality and rhythm than usual. If you do not believe , watch closely at the next game . The cheerleaders are not the only ones putting on a show. Scoping at ground level is fun, but for the scoping purist, altitude is a must. Hence the scope from the second floor of the Bible building. This height advantage has many blessings, not the least of which is anonymity. Also, the panoramic view is awe inspiring . The scope angle includes the library, the entire front lawn and the approaches from all the women's dorms. Truly a perfect scope. The student center scope is the most basic of all scopes. So basic that high school students test their skill there during Spring Sing weekend. They always miss the entire purpose of the scope, that of anonymous observance. A high school student scope is characterized by loud giggling, a noticeable amount of winking and nudging and audible salivation. Totally without class. We have merely taken a glimpse at the wonderful world of scoping. The tip of the iceburg, as it were. There still remain the Wendy's drive thru scope, the chapel balcony scope, and the cinemascope, the latter being the act of checking out everyone else's date at a movie. Taking all this into consideration, it is apparent that the scope is universal. It is in every aspect of our lives, and it is a beautiful thing. Treat it with respect. Be aware of its power. And remember- a scope is a terrible thing to waste. 4 - by Todd Thompson
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