Lucky you, breaking the 20k barrier.
Anyway, I, too am a college student (freshman or sophomore depending whether you count AP credits). Anyway, I started with a double betta hex. Then came the MiniBow 2.5 gallon (currently in my sister's possession). During x-mas break I received an Eclipse System 12, which everyone here thinks is pretty nifty. Then, I went from having a cute hobby to being full-fledged psychotic when I bought a standard 5.5 gallon for my desktop (and because the lighting on the Eclipse is too low for most plants) with leftover x-mas money.
I'm not sure if my university has rules about such things. If they do, no one I know has ever heard of them. I've heard of a few kids with hamsters. I'm sure they draw the line at birds though.
Best of all, my roommate likes the fish. He thinks I go overboard sometimes, but he's cool with it.