But that would just be ridiculous, considering that experimenting with Tor relays is like a favorite student passtime...

You don't need to run a Tor relay in order to run a hidden service. I have thrown in this idea as it's a dead simple (cheap/free, and you don't have to coordinate with anyone) to get your stuff publicly, let alone for experimental purpose.

> You don't need to run a Tor relay in order to run a hidden service

In fact, you shouldn't run them both [0]

0 - https://riseup.net/en/security/network-security/tor/onionser...

Sure, but I'm just pointing out an example where MIT students get to be actors as well as playwrights, whereas now one must follow the prescribed lines and mustn't be too naughty.

And hosting websites is? I don't see the average student doing that either.

I do, but then I also hosted hidden services, relays and exit nodes...

Well, an average student isn't going to do anything interesting. The MIT I know works to enable its most resourceful and enterprising students, and is not satisfied with just enabling "being average".

Yes! An average student can learn to host their server very easily with public addresses, and that was how I got started.