Do I upgrade my MacBook Pro, or get a Mac Mini?

Hello!
I'm am a University student (studying Graphics/Design).
At the moment, I have a MacBook Pro - although I bought it in April 2010, I believe it's the 2009 model? - The 13" 2.26Ghz, 2GB memory, and 160GB model.
The thing is, it's slow. I need to use bigger applications like Aperture - when I'm editing photos, I slide all the little sliders to how I want to edit the photo, yet it takes forever to show the changes on the photo which is no use.
Another thing, I work better on a desktop computer because of how I'm not looking down to look at the screen, and it's a much bigger, clearer screen! Like on the 21" iMacs at uni, in Photoshop, it's great because all the little windows/palettes you have open, you can just throw to one side of the screen, yet on a 13" screen, they're just annoying.
But the question is...
- Do I keep the MacBook Pro - upgrade it's memory, and get an external monitor/keyboard/mouse for it?
- Do I sell the MacBook Pro whilst I can get more money for it compared to if I sell it this time next year and get a Mac mini ?
I'm a first year Uni student and have never took my laptop into Uni at all.
It's just that some people are telling me to keep the MacBook because it's portable and if I needed to take it in to Uni, I could. Yet on the other hand, If I got a Mac mini, say I got around £600 for the Macbook, I'd have extra money after purchasing the Mini for a display etc, instead of losing out on money by buying an external monitor for the Macbook.
What do you think I should do? What's the more sensible option in terms of how long things will last and that?
Cheers!
P.S. Sorry for the essay of a question... and does anyone know how I can change my display name? I don't use that email anymore, but I'd rather it not be there!

What do you think I should do?
Get the Mac Pro.
The top-end iMac is a powerful machine by consumer and even professional standards, but a fully-upgraded Mac Pro is practically ostentatious in the amount of raw processing power it can wield. Professional consumers in areas like 3D rendering, video editing, and other extremely processor-intensive applications surely appreciate the much greater power the Mac Pro can afford them.
Customization:
The Mac Pro stomps the iMac in the customization department. Folding down the Mac Pro's side door gives you easy and almost instant access to its innards, and virtually every component is simple to swap out. Hard drives in particular are extraordinarily easy to swap in the Mac Pro.
Contrast that with the iMac, where the RAM is essentially the only user-serviceable component. Swapping out the hard drive on an iMac is a harrowing procedure that requires removing the entire front display -- not something you're going to want to do more than once, if ever.
I added cards to add more USB Ports, more FireWire Ports, Video inputs and a dual eSATA card.
I also like the 30 inch display.
(Sounding like Darth Vader.) "You don't know the POWER of the Mac Pro."

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