Ignorant College Student--Need Advice!

If you fix it, it's gonna be a labour of love not profit.
Best thing to do is to get it on the road and go out and enjoy it. 2nd keep the dream small try to fix it in weekend projects. Longer a car sits less likely you'll get back to it.
To me up grading suspension, brakes, rear end, gears and exhaust are best done before worrying about performance.