java without sucking? Myth or Magic?

/prog/ I am learning java at university, and there seems to be a religiously followed doctrine that OOP is brilliant and that all problems should be put into an OOP system.

to summarise my grimaces:
-terrible ontology for classes
-everything must become an object and have a class and factory (i.e. overzealous use of OOP)
-everything relies on try catch throw statements to fix the 10's of problems that just inventing an object creates
-nothing beautiful, nothing simple, and definitely nothing fast to write, compile or execute.

Now for questions.
1. is it possible to make elegant, good, maintainable code in Java?

2. Challenge mode, is it possible for that code to work with everyone elses' OOP bullshit?

For instance could one simplify programs down to a single class, then for the required OOP methods and classes just call to the arrays etc in that class?
i.e. make the package/program behave as expected for any other class/driver using it, but not use OOP for the code.

3. Will the introduction of lambda expressions in java SE 8 make life better?

4. Should I quit this course before the cancer grows on me and I have to work to scrub it from my mind?

1.  Yes.  However, I think it is harder than in most c-style languages because of Java's idiosyncrasies.  For example, equality for two Integer (not int) values less than 128 (and more than -129) behaves differently than for values outside this range.  If you implemented a class like that at work, you would be considered a bad programmer, and that one issue alone is sufficient to keep me from using Java even when it is probably the right tool.
2. Yes.  Most business software is OOP, and a subset of this software works.  QED.
3.  Frankly, I think they''ll probably screw it up, but it has made C# much easier to use, so there is hope.
4. I recently read an article from an EE standpoint that noted that postsec is overruling Java.  I don't have a degree myself and I haven't had trouble finding work, but the first job is a tough one.  I would say you should start applying for work now, just as you would to leave a job you didn't like.  If you send out fifty or so applications and get nothing like a positive response, stick with college.  Otherwise, get out.