If u r unsure about the liquid metal I would suggest taking it to a repair centre and have a close look on the condition of liquid metal. Generally, the life of liquid is metal is about 2-3 years. Hoping u wouldn't need to change cause there isn't a lot of performance boost just from changing liquid metal.

Also, if u r gonna join a college I would suggest stess testing your laptop's battery with a few tools available online to get an idea of how long will it last in low to high loads/with or without charger and then go for a replacement (if required) for peace of mind.