Getting back to the "how to fill 8 hours" discussion -- the Science Center computing labs are open 24 hours a day. Extension students have access to them so you could certainly hole up there and then sleep on the train back.

Kudos on your efforts, btw. I've been going through sort of the opposite thing: I have an undergrad degree from Harvard but have decided I don't want to stop working and put my life on hold for grad school so have taken up a nontraditional "distance" grad program. The amount of flack I've taken for "someone like me" not going to a "real" grad school has been insane.