If you're interested in compilers and language implementation, it may not be obvious, but one needn't be a university student or devote a semester to the topic.
Taking a four-day compiler course[1] (now five days) whetted my appetite for implementing languages and learning new ones, and led to a number of toy language projects. Also mentioned here, the book Crafting Interpreters is wonderful.
The world may not need many more programming languages, but making your own is a heck of a lot of fun. I find it especially satisfying when tests written in the new language start to surprise me by already passing, because enough of the language is working.
Taking a four-day compiler course[1] (now five days) whetted my appetite for implementing languages and learning new ones, and led to a number of toy language projects. Also mentioned here, the book Crafting Interpreters is wonderful.
The world may not need many more programming languages, but making your own is a heck of a lot of fun. I find it especially satisfying when tests written in the new language start to surprise me by already passing, because enough of the language is working.
[1] http://www.dabeaz.com/compiler.html