Since you already use Java, why not just use an IDE like Netbeans or Eclipse.
Cramming, Thats a bad idea! Just have to settle down to learn the fundamentals, unless you're ready to fix bugs.

Well, your posts are indeed interesting (candylips & javalove).

One thing is clear: "There are coders and there programmers; there are developers and there are architects".
Coding is a means, but true software engineering requires skills beyond just coding.

Nigerians are talented, but often times, they are short on high design knowledge. Knowledge that makes the foreign look better than ours (some).
However, i don't think you'll get that knowledge from our universities, but they help by showing "shadows" of it.
It gives an opportunity or means to expand your scope. (Over-specialisation isn't so healthy). The developer needs to have diverse domain knowledge. The uni can help.
That aside, a university can be handy. Since you can get it, get it

That's all i say for now.

Well "Logica", i felt almost the same way. "Groovy"! Its indeed "Groovy"!

@dammy
I don't think Groovy can use your .NET classes. That's because, its design to run on the JVM, and use java classes, and get used by java classes.
You can use java or groovy interchangeably in your groovy script or class.

Nevertheless, it very interesting. It beats ruby in the area of seamless use with java classes.

Just thought i should ask. Has anyone here used Groovy's Grails framework? Its a competitor to Ruby's Rails framework.

J2EE is da bomb! Believe or not! It may not be blistering fast, but its scalable, robust, secure and name. .NET is just scores better in simplicity, but that does not imply J2EE is complex. No way! Man it can be so easy. Pay attention to the basics and detail. I speak from experience. Although i also use .NET, but man, i just love J2EE.
EJB 2.0, yeah, was kind of a nightmare (especially Entity beans). Todays EJB 3.0 is good. Persistence is built on hibernate's successful design patterns.
I'm still learning more of J2EE.
Sure give it a shot!