This was 2017. As I was starting my university studies at Politecnico di Milano, SpaceX was demonstrating to the world that the sky was no longer the limit.

After building an alarm clock and a robotic hand, I wanted to build rockets. That's why I joined the electronics department of Skyward Experimental Rocketry.

During the selection process, they told me that they didn't want first-year bachelor students: we had no idea yet of how time-consuming the regular studies would be, nor whether we would have any spare time left to dedicate to Skyward. I was quite optimistic, and managed to get a spot in the team anyway, working on the power management system for the upcoming Hermes rocket, which would replace the previous Rocksanne.

As soon as I joined the team, I realized that even though I knew more about electronics than the average student, I didn't know shit compared to the people working there (mostly master's students or last-year bachelors). While I was struggling to design really basic circuits, the team was building boards that seemed engineered by a real company — which made my board for the robotic hand look like a piece of shit.

After the first couple of weeks of introductions, the lectures started picking up, and I was struggling to stay afloat. Having to commute for more than one hour each way between Como and Milan, I simply couldn't keep up, and I had to quit Skyward after bringing only a little contribution. When they told me it would be difficult, I didn't believe them — but eventually I had to give up and focus fully on my studies.

That marked the start of three years of darkness, where my days were consumed by lectures and train rides, with no time for side projects.