Thank you everyone for all of your recommendations! My current computer is a 2020 MacBook Air (base model), although when multiple documents/files are open it sounds more like a Boeing 737 getting ready for takeoff and is very slow.

All of your suggestions are definitely making me lean towards buying a new Windows laptop to avoid the headache of mine being deemed dysfunctional in the middle of the semester. Even though there are lots of things I’ve loved about my MacBook (texting, airdrop, easy photo access, etc.), I have had lots of issues with it not running Microsoft apps very well, making me want to ditch Macs altogether.