Peter Moores-Pitt: The 100 Hour Man

Peter Moores Pitt, the man who received 100 hours community service. This is the infamous tag that he had to endure ever since that fateful night in the first term. Some might wonder how he is still at university. Overcoming such a discipline is not for the faint hearted. But despite the regret, the stress and the hardship, he has learnt a great amount, and has come out the other side a stronger person.

Peter came to Rhodes just as vulnerable and open minded as any other fresh rhodent. But issues back home, and the pressure of the demanding course that he took on, always left him feeling that he was ready to snap at any moment. “I was having a bit of a bad time, and that was the cherry on the top,” he reflects disgustedly, describing the night he punched a sub-warden. Peter is not one to let an issue go to rest easy, so when he felt that he was unjustifiably given disciplinary hours for a petty mistake, he struck in a moment of madness. When asked what went through his head the second after he did it, he laughed and said “I didn’t feel I hit him hard enough!” Despite this, he knows it wasn’t his proudest moment, and there was some regret. If he could go back in time though, he would consider doing it all over again. “I learnt some impressive life lessons from that night that has broadened my character and made me who I am today.”

Does 100 hours warrant the consequences of his actions? He doesn’t feel so, but “I’m sure everyone feels that way after they’ve been issued a disciplinary action” he told me, proving that impartiality is one of many qualities he has worked on throughout the year. The punishment continues to taunt the back of his mind as the hours are far from completion. “It is like a large workload that I know I am going to have to complete eventually.” Ironically, Peter and the subwarden get along well, and Peter has learnt to respect him as he has got to know him better. “He has such a fierce loyalty to the guys in res, and I appreciate that,” he said, chin up and eyes beaming. He has been able to put the past behind him and move on, yet another difficult task he has conquered.

All in all, he has had a fantastic year with plenty of special memories, and if he could take one of the many positive aspects out of this year, it would be the friends he has made, and finding a place where he can finally feel comfortable and at home. When I asked him what advice he could give to the first years of 2009, he said he would strongly encourage them to get involved in as many events around campus as possible. This is not just because of the opportunities that arise from them, but it is also because it is a way of relieving stress, and preventing the dwelling of the difficult moments in one’s life.

Getting to know Peter this year has been a privilege. He has proved that life can change drastically in an instance, but just because this happens, doesn’t mean it has to be for the worse. He has taken all opportunities that have come his way, and he has learnt from any mistakes that he feels he has made. If I was to ever fall into a similar situation, I would make no hesitation in taking a leaf out of his book.