Yeah, I'm a student right now and I've come to really like mathematica... I'll probably even get the hobby license after school, but I don't think I could justify the cost of using it professionally.
Since you're a student and enjoy using Mathematica, I would recommend taking a look at this http://www.wolfram.com/company/careers/ambassador/. It's an opportunity for student enthusiasts to share their use and interest on campus, in return Wolfram provides access to tech and other stuff noted.
My school is for some reason still renewing my student license 7 years after graduating, so if they're that lax everywhere you might not have to worry. :P