Hi Rusty,
Well, I'm currently in my 3rd year at Exeter uni and have managed to stay current down here. Exeter is blessed with a not too busy, but big, airport, and the best scenery in the south of england.
It's bloody expensive though.
Barclays have been quite good to me and my overdraft covers a bit of flying as well as my extreme drinking and socialising (p1ss ups) so I kinda get by ok. If I can't afford to fly, I whack it on the credit card and worry about it another time. Students always get away with it so don't worry about that side of things!
Plus, there's a mate here who is a keen flyer and we both go up and potter down to Plymouth or something and split the cost. Easy.
Find an airfield, get a plane, go and have fun, and get in debt. Problem solved.
DVR6K