If you are going to college for 4-8 years, don't bother with a monitor. Or tegu. I don't know where you got the idea that tegus are lazy - they get that way when kept in tiny enclosures, however. I know a varanid enthusiast who keeps his ackies in a 10x10x6 foot enclosure and he thinks it's too small. With college and probably working as well, you will not have the spare time available to properly care for a monitor.

A 6x3x3 foot enclosure is the smallest enclosure size I could recommend for a monitor, and that would be for ackies, not dumerilii or doreanus or any of the other midsized ones.

Stick to your studies and do your research on varanids and get one when you become a vet. You and the lizard will be much better off then. Read my sig...

Chris