Long Story Short

It’s the place where I lived for 3 years during my bachelor’s in computer science in Verona.

More Details About

How did I find out?

Well, it’s funny, as I found it almost by pure chance while I was rushing my university application, and when they confirmed my spot, I started another RUN—the one for finding accommodation in Verona.

After going to Verona a couple of times to look for a flat, either to rent or to buy, we came across Collegio Don Mazza.

The First Year

As you will find out (if you read the full article), my experience inside the walls of the Don Mazza Merit College has been very different throughout the 3 years.

Let’s start from the beginning… it was certainly hard. Why?

• I was alone with no friends.
• First time for me out of home.
• I’m an introverted guy.
• I was feeling stupid because the university courses were really challenging for me.

Isn’t it enough? Well, for me it was, and I still remember crying in my room for these reasons…

And talking about the room, I wasn’t alone… I had a roommate (it didn’t last long) who was not the best. At first glance, he seemed kind and honest, but he turned out to be completely the opposite—but we’ll carry on with this story in the second year.

During this year, I also started thinking about leaving the university because I was trying to learn things I was not interested in, such as Calculus 1, Physics 1, or Logic.

But coming back to my Don Mazza stay, it was very simple:

1. Going to uni to attend classes
2. Coming back to Don Mazza
3. Having dinner (the horrible one, as always)
4. Studying after it
5. Sleeping
6. Repeating

This is why everybody there was looking at me in a weird and skeptical way; I was super focused, always listening to podcasts and talking to very few people (or sometimes even no one). This was because the guys there had totally different core values compared to mine:

• only having fun (party, drinks, and all the stuff that I hate)
• Studying as a hobby (it was my job, and I was responsible because my parents were paying for me).

For many other reasons, it was difficult for me to spend time with them… mainly because the only things I cared about were my academic results and having free time when I went back home to Val di Rabbi to be outdoors.

Of course, out of the majority, I met two guys who were really brilliant, and I’m still in touch with them today:

• Faustino : From Angola
• Giovanni Di Rosa : From souther Italy

The Second Year

Here, it started getting a little bit better, even though I was still living with the horrible roommate (who made me ask for a replacement—I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say he was letting other people sleep in my bed and vaping in the room… I could go on, unfortunately, but I’ll stop here).

But the main thing was that my classmate David Cavada moved to Don Mazza, and we started having breakfast, commuting, dining, and sometimes even studying together. Besides him, there was also a friend of his, Valerio Basilio Cova—it sounds so weird to think about it now, as these two guys are now my best friends…

Looking back, I wasn’t socializing that much, but it was a starting point for me.

This second year flew by much faster than the previous one (I think also due to the fact that I already knew the place).

The End Of The Verona Dream Life

And here we are… diving deep into the saddest year.

I say this not only because it was the last (graduation year) but also because it was the year we formed our group… but why “our”?

Well, we are in four:

• Simone Mattioli ( me )
• David Cavada
• Valerio Basilio Cova
• Omar Bodio

This year was a fantastic one—the BEST, without any doubt. We were living in the same place (we had two different rooms, one above the other) and started doing everything together.

I remember how fun it was to commute together every single day, exercising in the “gym,” walking around Verona after classes, and having dinner together.

I was really sad when the university year ended, realizing I wouldn’t see them every day anymore and that I was leaving my three-year-long routines behind forever…

In addition, I had to move back to Rovereto, my hometown, which meant living with my parents again.

Was it worth it?

It definitely changed my life; I had the chance to have many new experiences (such as the Brazilian volunteering) and meet new people (who are now my best friends).

Of course, it depends… I think generally YES, but (a big BUT), and here are the reasons why:

• Expensive if you have a high ISEE (income)
• Services like the GYM and FOOD are not the best (and they are NOT improving; on the contrary, they’re getting worse at least for what I’ve seen in 3 years)