Going back to school for my Phd in Computer Science has certainly crossed my mind plenty of times. The working world I'm currently immersed in is simply not cutting it for me in terms of mental stimulation. Since a Phd is not likely at this time due to not having a topic I'd like to pursue, and not being in a position to be broke for the next four years, I decided to go back to school to get in touch with my creative side instead. I'm taking a course in Black and White Photography at the School of Visual Arts. So far, it seems like a Phd might have been cheaper and maybe even easier! I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
This picture should give you an idea as to how much stuff I needed to buy just to get started with this course. 
If you're wondering what all this stuff could possibly be used for, let me just add that all the film taken for the class will be developed at home. This process begins by popping open the film, cutting it off the roll, and threading it onto a spool. This wouldn't be all that bad, except for the fact that it all must be done inside a lightproof bag (yes, there are holes in the bag for you to stick your arms through,) which means you can't exactly see what you're doing. The film is then developed in the bath tub and hung on the shower curtain to dry. Like I said, I had no idea.
I think the course will prove to be valuable even for a geek programmer like myself. Creativity during coding is very similar to, if not the same thing, as an artist's creativity. I firmly believe that combining the talents of an artist and a coder can offer some fresh perspectives on any programming project.
I'm sure some people, including most of my colleagues, will either disagree with me on this point or tell me that a programmer has no right being creative in the first place. I think most of these people have never been exposed to any kind of artistic activity. Some of the most talented people in Computer Science (people like Paul Graham , author of Hackers and Painters comes to mind,) have studied some form of artistic expression in the past. Whatever stance you take on this, I'm sure you'll agree with me on one thing: This old school Nikon FM2 film camera is HOT!