When people are asked about the time in their life when they realized what career they wanted to go into, many are able to pinpoint the exact moment when they had their epiphany. While science and medicine was something I was always drawn to, I only began to consider it as a career path during my sophomore year of high school when I was exposed to courses such as anatomy and physiology and pharmacology. These classes gave me the confidence and sustained interest needed to be able to pursue medicine as my future career. However, I had this epiphany just in the knick of time as college applications were due the following year. I often find myself wondering if I would have realized my love of science sooner, and been able to take advantage of more opportunities, if I had more exposure to it as a younger child.

New Jersey, in general, has made great strides for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, but has its efforts been enough to encourage more young women to pursue STEM? In 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an act that focused on minimizing the STEM gender gap. This act aimed to increase the number of STEM outreach programs for young women and increase the number of STEM educators and faculty in New Jersey schools. The act also intended to increase the number of resources available to young women to help encourage them to pursue higher STEM education. 

Despite being enacted early on in my high school career, this bill seemed to have no impact on my school and others around it, especially considering that there was a persistent teacher shortage and an overall lack of STEM programs available to students. Though this act, and others like it, seem as though they put New Jersey on the right track for increasing female participation in STEM, the reality is that progress just isn’t being made. 

Women still only represent 27% of STEM workers nationally, further indicating that this legislation is not having its intended effect. This already meager percentage is only expected to decrease in upcoming years as the interest in STEM of Generation Z girls, those born between 1997 and 2011, plummets. 

According to an article published in CNN, 85% of young men said that they were interested in at least one sector of STEM, while only 63% of young women said the same. When questioned about why they weren’t interested in the field, a majority of young women stated that they believed they wouldn’t be good at STEM, representing a lack of associated confidence within younger generations. Despite being a national issue, this overall lack of confidence applies to young New Jersey women who might want to pursue a career in STEM as well. 

In June of 2023, a panel discussion was held between several prominent female New Jersey STEM leaders. One of the panelists, Dr. Vojislava Pophristic, Dean of Rowan University’s College of Science and Mathematics, explained that she believes that if more opportunities are provided for young girls K-12, there would be an increase in women pursuing STEM as a career later on in life. Specifically, Dean Pophristic recommends exposing young individuals to how meaningful and impactful STEM can be through mentorship programs.. If more of these programs were widely available, it is likely that young women would become inspired and see that women can excel in STEM. 

Dean Pophristic additionally mentioned how certain sectors of STEM have different sex breakdowns. Sectors such as math and computer science generally see more male participation while biology often sees more female participation, a trend I observed in my own high school. For instance, out of roughly 20 students in my AP Biology class, only 3 were male. However, in one of the AP Computer Science classes offered, only about 2 or 3 students were female. 

As Dean Pophristic further pointed out in the discussion, STEM, regardless of the sector, has been historically dominated by white men, a trend that obviously needs to be changed. However, as white men have been the leaders of STEM for so long, it begs the question of where does this bias, that has been keeping others from being equally represented in STEM, originate? 

A potential origin for STEM gender bias may lie within some of the youngest members of the population, children in kindergarten to third grade. A study that looked into the beliefs held by these children had some alarming findings. Primarily, children of both sexes believed men to be more competent than women in STEM, with 62% of boys stating that STEM was their favorite subject and only 37% of girls stating the same. Kim Eslesser, a gender bias expert who discusses the study in a recent Forbes article, proposes a solution that has the potential to work at the local, New Jersey level. She suggests that providing more role models, women with careers in STEM, to young girls could boost confidence and change biased perceptions. Additionally, she indicates that encouraging young girls to pretend to be scientists during play time could also help promote STEM confidence in younger populations, a solution that New Jersey schools could easily implement in their classrooms to stop gender bias at its potential root. 

Furthermore, though all women are underrepresented in STEM, women of color are even more underrepresented than white women. An article written by Marisa Peñaloza, a senior producer at NPR, about the National STEM Festival in Washington D.C., helps to highlight how young non-white women can feel even more dissuaded from pursuing STEM than young white women. One of the individuals that Peñaloza interviewed, the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at MIT stated that “women of color face the most challenges and harassment, both explicit and implicit”. 

One of the youth presenters at the festival, Treyonna Sullivan, described her own personal experiences with her place in STEM. She stated that she felt discouraged after seeing the background of her competitors, but then described how having Black mentors and seeing other Black youth there inspired her, helping to improve her confidence in her abilities. Sullivan’s story provides further support for the benefits of increasing the number of mentors available for young women in STEM and shows that to have the most impact on young women, mentors of diverse backgrounds are needed. 

The bottom line is that while New Jersey has taken measures to encourage gender equality in STEM for women of all backgrounds, advancements just aren’t being made. As STEM is a field that has always been primarily male dominated, it is devastating to see that more women still have yet to to take their rightful place at the forefront of scientific innovation and success. Since a lot of the current programs and bills introduced in New Jersey, that target girls in middle and high school, have been largely ineffective, it is time New Jersey turns its attention to even younger girls. If New Jersey  is able to increase mentorship opportunities and find ways to successfully eliminate bias within younger populations, inspire younger girls, and sustain their inspiration throughout their high school years, STEM participation, interest, and confidence will skyrocket, creating an environment where all girls can flourish and realize their interest in STEM early on in life. 

Olivia Loguidice is a biological sciences major at Rowan University who plans to pursue a career in medicine. She has a passion for female representation in STEM. 

The post Op-Ed: New Jersey is leading the charge in solving the gender gap in STEM–but young girls are still overlooked appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

How did I get my job?

To be honest, I did not find my job in a traditional way. There was no resume required, no Linkedin, and no sign anywhere stating there was a job opening. However, in October of 2022, when I was at the eye doctor for a routine eye exam, I told the doctor about my fondness for all things science and medicine. Upon hearing it, the doctor offered me a summer job working at her office as a technician. As a young woman who desperately wanted to wear scrubs and start work in the medical field as soon as possible, it was an offer I could not refuse. 

After I left the office, I kept thinking about how amazing it would be to work there and become immersed in a clinical setting at such a young age. However, I definitely had my doubts. Am I too young to do this type of work? Is it too complicated to have as a first job? Can I handle the responsibility? Will I be good at it? 

Nevertheless, when summer rolled around, I contacted the doctor and secured my spot as another one of her technicians. 

What Exactly do I do There?

When I work, I typically do a mix of filing and patient pre-exams. As for the former, I pull patient charts for upcoming days, call patients to confirm appointments or ask if they would like to make new appointments, and fax documents to other doctors offices. Even though this aspect of my job is important and I’m grateful to be able to do any type of work, taking patient histories and working with the machines is far more interesting. 

As for patient histories, I ask them medical questions and fill out a card that the doctor will see. Some of the questions include asking patients about any current medical conditions, conditions that run in the family, and what prescription medications they take. Through these histories, I get to learn a lot about the patients and understand certain aspects of their lives. I’ve been able to learn how to ask questions to get all of the information that the doctor may need to help the patient. I’ve also gained general knowledge of different diseases that patients may have and medications that they may take. Apart from this part of the pre-exam, I also work with various machines that take readings of the patient’s eyes. Some of the machines include an auto-refractor, glaucoma test, retinal photograph, and OCT (optical coherence tomography). 

During both parts of the pre-exam, I get to connect with patients through hearing their stories, laughing at their jokes, and sympathizing when they tell me just how much they hate the glaucoma machine (the one that shoots that startling puff of air in your eye). 

Machines

Though I briefly mentioned them above, the machines have possibly been the hardest part of my job to learn. Being able to get accurate readings using the auto-refractor or images using the retinal photograph was extremely difficult at first. The machines require good dexterity, patience, and skill, all of which I’m still in the process of perfecting. However, I love working with the machines because it is something I can do to help both the doctor and the patient. The auto-refractor allows the doctor to get a baseline reading of a patient’s prescription, speeding up the eye exam process. The glaucoma test, retinal photograph, and OCT help check to see if the patient has any ocular hypertension, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or any other conditions of the eye. Though I am not the doctor who makes all of the diagnoses, being able to play a small part in helping patients get the care they need is extremely rewarding and without a doubt, the best part of my job. 

Overall Thoughts

I truly do enjoy and love my job but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t challenging and tiring at times. A main part of the job is being able to complete patient pre-exams efficiently, especially when we get backed up. Still being relatively new, this gets complicated with all of the questions I have to ask and tests I have to run. Also, there are so many little nuances to my job that I must remember to ensure the flow of patients runs smoothly. It is times like this where I question if I’m cut out for medicine or if I’m too young for the job but whenever I have these feelings, I remember to be kind to myself because I am still learning and always trying my hardest. Though it’s not always easy to be kind to yourself, it is an invaluable skill to learn which will help you become a more tenacious person.

Ultimately, this is an amazing experience that I know will greatly benefit me when I’m older and hopefully working in healthcare. I am so grateful for this opportunity and despite it being challenging, I know that it is important for me. Whenever you can, you need to challenge yourself.

I want to end this article by giving anyone who doesn’t feel good enough some advice: just go for it, even if it’s scary or difficult. If I didn’t just bite the bullet and leave my worries about not being good enough behind, I would have missed out on an incredible experience that may help me with my career in the future. Even if you’re young, like me, know that you can still do challenging and amazing things which can make an impact on the world. You may not be given the same opportunities as others and that’s okay. Unfortunately, not everyone is always lucky in the same way but as with all things in life, it is extremely important to believe in yourself and try your best. Remember that you are not alone and there are so many people in the world cheering you on.

The post Personal: My Experiences Working as a Young Technician for an Eye Doctor appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

Terms

To understand the journey blood goes through, it is important to define some terms.

• Artery: Blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart 
• Vein: Blood vessel that carries blood to the heart 
• Atrium: Chamber of the heart located above the ventricles
• Ventricle: Chamber of the heart located below the atria
• Valve: flaps that separate the chambers of the heart to prevent backflow of blood 

Stages

Right Atrium:

The first part of the blood circulation process occurs in the right atrium. Deoxygenated blood from the superior and inferior vena cava, the largest vein in the body, funnels into the right atrium. Once enough pressure builds up in the right atrium, the tricuspid valve opens and allows the blood to flow into the right ventricle. 

Right Ventricle:

After passing through the tricuspid valve, the blood enters the right ventricle. At this point, the blood is still deoxygenated. To become oxygenated, it must travel to the lungs. To do this, enough pressure has to build up in the right ventricle to open the pulmonary valve. Once opened, the blood travels into the pulmonary artery.

Lungs:

In the pulmonary artery, blood travels into the lungs. Blood has hemoglobin, a protein that allows it to carry oxygen. Tiny air sacs in the lungs, known as alveoli, are where gas exchange occurs. The oxygen-poor blood becomes oxygen-rich and resumes its journey by traveling into the pulmonary veins. 

Left Atrium: 

Now oxygenated, blood enters the left atrium from the pulmonary veins. When enough pressure builds up in the left atrium, the mitral or bicuspid valve opens to allow the blood to travel into the left ventricle. 

Left Ventricle:

Once in the left ventricle, the oxygenated blood must travel out of the heart and to the rest of the body. It must leave the left ventricle through the aortic semilunar valve and flow into the aorta. 

Aorta:

The aorta is the largest artery in the body that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. After traveling throughout the body, the blood becomes deoxygenated and must start its journey again by entering the heart back through the superior and inferior vena cava. 

Summary

Deoxygenated blood comes into the right atrium from the superior and inferior vena cava. Then, it passes through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle where it goes through the pulmonary valve and into the pulmonary artery. From this artery, blood goes to the alveoli in the lungs where gas exchange occurs and hemoglobin picks up oxygen. The oxygenated blood goes into the pulmonary vein where it funnels into the left atrium and then through the mitral or bicuspid valve. After passing through that valve, the blood travels into the left ventricle, out the aortic semilunar valve, into the aorta, and to the rest of the body.

The post A Brief Overview of How Blood Travels Through the Heart appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

This life-sized human skull model from Merinden is great for those who want to learn the anatomy of the skull! It is an anatomically correct replica of the human skull which helps learners identify and remember the cranial and facial bones. It is sturdy and the learner can move the mandible (jaw) up and down with the spring attached to the top of the maxilla bone. The top of the skull also comes apart and is easily put back together. 

Pros

Skull Separates:

The top of the skull easily separates, allowing the learner to see how the cranial bones are broken up inside the skull. It also helps the learner get a good idea of how the brain is situated and how the medulla oblongata (lowest part of the brainstem) passes through the foramen magnum (opening in the occipital bone). 

Comes With a Guide:

The model comes with a guide that labels fourteen parts of the skull. While not all parts are accounted for, this helps the learner understand where the bones of the skull are located and what they are called. Those who are already familiar with the skull and know the parts do not need this guide, however, it is good for those who are just beginning to learn.

Detailed:

This skull model is extremely detailed! The sutures (immovable joints) are clearly defined on the skull. In addition to the sutures, the foramen are also visible. Foramen, which are essentially holes in the bone, are accurately depicted in this model. While the suture and foramen names are not listed on the guide, the skull model can still help teach learners about them. 

Cons

Paint:

The painting on the model is good, however, in some spots, it is slightly messy. The paint of one bone sometimes runs over the suture lines and into another bone. Also, when the skull is opened, you can see that some of the paint of the frontal and parietal bones leaked onto where the two parts of the skull come together. Another flaw with the painting is that some colors used are similar. The paint color on the zygomatic and frontal bones is extremely close. The paint color on the lacrimal and sphenoid bones as well looks identical. This can make it slightly confusing for the learner to decipher which part of the skull is which. 

Parts Should Come Apart:

While the mandible moves and the top part of the skull comes off, it would be more helpful if the skull came apart entirely. If all the different bones of the skull could come apart, learners would be able to put it back together and get a better sense of how the skull is formed. This would make the experience more interactive and learners would be more likely to remember the location of the different bones. 

Final Thoughts

While this model is not perfect, it allows learners to get a good idea of the anatomy of the skull. If you are looking for an accurate painted model of the human skull, this model is a great choice. While it definitely does lack in some aspects, there is no doubt that it makes up in others. The moveability of the mandible shows how the jaw moves in order to eat or talk, and the opening of the skull shows how the bones are oriented inside the skull. It is also incredibly detailed and comes with a good guide. Overall, this model is a great tool to use to learn about the bones of the skull!

The post Review: Merinden Painted Human Skull Model appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

An article published by Digital Authority Partners outlined some tips to create the best mobile healthcare app. We’ve highlighted six of the best tips from the article:

1. Create a clear goal – Every app has a purpose, and a medical app should be no different. Before creating one, there should be a goal in mind of what the app is trying to accomplish. It is important that the app is solving problems that need to be solved; roughly only 11% of medical apps meet consumer demand for easier access to medical records, making or canceling appointments, and refilling prescriptions. To have a successful app, these needs should be addressed. Once the purpose is decided, it is crucial to understand the competition. Analyzing what competitors are doing and outperforming them is a great way to gain more recognition and support. 

2. Monetizing the app – The highest-grossing mobile apps are free to download and use advertising or in-app purchases to generate revenue; fewer than 6% of apps are paid, and their performance is generally inferior to that of free apps. Many successful health apps make money through subscriptions. This could indicate that one of the best courses of action is to make the app free to download and charge a subscription fee for extended services. 

3. Using an omnichannel approach – Many apps today use an omnichannel approach in which the software can be accessed in many ways. For example, the app could be available on both Android and iOS, it can have an accompanying website, and even include real-time interactions. Using this multi-channel strategy would also allow the target audience to be broader; older generations may want to use websites while younger generations may prefer an app or digital assistants. By making the software available in various forms, a larger audience can be reached.

4. Take time and test out the app – Great health apps take time to create, so the process should not be rushed. Building a Minimum Viable Product, or MVP, is one of the best strategies to use when creating an app. An MVP is a product or app that is simple but still has enough features to attract customers. Starting out with an MVP instead of a fully developed app is advantageous because it takes less time to get running and also has the advantage of allowing the creator to build better relationships with customers. Having stronger relationships will prompt a flow of positive and negative feedback that can help improve the app further. Making an MVP may also help get the app more traction because it can allow more time to figure out what branding is best to promote the software.

5. Make sure the app follows healthcare regulations – If the app does not abide by the regulations defined in The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, the app runs the risk of being taken down. There are two main parts of HIPAA regulations–the privacy rule and the security rule. Both of these rules are similar in stating that medical records and health information of users are protected through safeguards that ensure complete confidentiality. 

6. Create the perfect digital experience – The better a user interface is, the more likely consumers will be to keep coming back to it. Complicated, unattractive, or impractical software will put off users; around 21% of millennials said that they would delete an app if it were not aesthetically pleasing. To prevent this from happening, it is vital to ensure that the user experience is valued and the app is pleasant or easy to use. 

Using these six steps to develop an app will provide the developer with a better chance of success and a higher possibility of creating valuable software that will help many individuals. When done right, mobile health applications have great potential to make healthcare more accessible and convenient. 

The post Tips for Developing a Medical App appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

Dyson released their $550 styling tool in 2018. The Dyson Airwrap is unique because it uses the Coanda (Coandă (/ˈkwɑːndə/ or /ˈkwæ-/)) effect to curl, wave, and smooth, which creates an air vortex around the curler, which catches your hair and styles it. Since the Dyson Airwrap uses warm air to style, it causes less damage to hair than traditional hot tools. Additionally, it has an intelligent heat control system that checks the air temperature around 40 times a second to regulate and keep the heat at a suitable temperature. The base of the styling machine has two settings for perfect styling; airflow and heat. There are three options for both settings. You can also opt to use the cold shot setting, which locks in and sets your curl. There are several different Dyson Airwrap packages you can choose from, but you can also customize your styler. If you decide to do the latter, you will be prompted to answer four questions about your hair to get the best attachments for you. However, I bought the complete set from QVC. The Airwrap typically goes for $549.99, but it can vary depending on what site you buy from. Despite the name, this package does not come with every attachment; however, there are no packages currently selling all attachments. The complete set has a pre-styling dryer, two 1.2” Airwrap barrels, two 1.6” Airwrap barrels, a firm smoothing brush, a soft smoothing brush, and a round volumizing brush. The Dyson Airwrap also comes packaged in a brown leather box which doubles as storage. 

After seeing several videos on the styler, I was fascinated by how easy it was to use and how it worked. The Coanda effect sounded extraordinary, and I knew I had to try it. Another thing that drew me in was that it causes less damage to hair than traditional hot tools. Of course, all hot tools will damage hair, but this one uses significantly less heat. I used to flat iron my hair almost every day for school, which caused immense damage, and about a year ago, I dyed my hair which caused it to become even more damaged. Recently, I have been using less heat on my hair and deep conditioning more in hopes of restoring my hair’s health. Once I came across the Airwrap, I was delighted because it meant that I could still style my hair and not cause severe damage. Also, as someone who has rarely ever curled their hair, it seemed even more desirable because of how easy it was to use. 

Attachments 

Pre-Styling Dryer

When using the Airwrap, it is recommended to start with wet hair. Before using the curlers or other attachments, you are supposed to use the pre-styling dryer. With this dryer, you are only supposed to dry your hair until it is 50-60% dry, and once it is, you can begin using the other attachments. When I first tested mine out, I washed my hair, put some oil in for moisture, heat protecting spray, and then dried it using the pre-styling dryer. This dryer was quieter than other dryers I have used, which is something I appreciate. It also dried quickly even though I only had the airflow on setting one and the heat on setting two. I also love how it was light and less bulky than traditional hair dryers. The design of this dryer is perfect, and even though it is meant to be used before styling, I will be using it regularly to dry my hair. 

Firm Smoothing Brush

The firm smoothing brush attachment is used to get rid of frizziness and create straighter hair. It has firm bristles to help style and shape.

After using the pre-styling dryer, I decided to use the firm smoothing brush. This brush reduces frizz as well as straightens and smooths hair. It took me a little while to get my hair straight, but overall it was easy to use. I will be incorporating this brush into my hairstyling routine.

Soft Smoothing Brush

The soft smoothing brush attachment is used to get a smoother look. It has soft bristles, which are supposed to be gentler on the scalp. This tool is recommended for people who have thin hair. The final look is supposed to resemble that of a blow-dry.

I used this brush on my mother’s hair while it was damp, and it did an excellent job of smoothing and straightening. Like the firm smoothing brush, this attachment was easy to use and gave the results it claimed to. It was great at taming frizzy hair and still keeping a natural look. 

1.6” Airwrap Barrels

This attachment creates looser, bigger curls or waves. Dyson recommends curling your hair in around four to six sections on one side or eight to twelve for your whole head. 

To experiment and see what works best for my hair, I straightened the right side of my hair with the firm smoothing brush first and just left the left side the same. I did this because I wanted to see if it would make a difference in how the curl looks and holds. I found that the right side of my hair, the straightened side, looked better than the left. However, I believe that I dried my hair too much with the pre-styling dryer and then again with the firm smoothing brush, which definitely could have made a difference in the curls. While curling my hair, I thought that it was super easy to do and quite fun too. It is so cool to see the Coanda effect in action. The Airwrap does pick up your hair and curl it by itself. The only problem is that it is slightly challenging to pick up a specific section of hair; it will either leave some out or take more than you wanted it to. This can be somewhat annoying, but I have found that this gets better with practice. If I am honest, I have rarely curled my hair by myself before, so this might have also put me at a disadvantage. Despite all of that, I was pleased with the bouncy curls I was left with. They did fall out after a few hours, but that was something I had expected. 

1.2” Airwrap Barrels

These barrels are slightly smaller than the 1.6” barrels. They create tighter, more voluminous curls or waves. Generally, I found that I could do these curls in the same amount of sections as the other barrels.

Before using the 1.2” Airwrap barrels, I applied a heat protectant, dried my hair, and then straightened it with the firm smoothing brush. Afterward, I began using the 1.2” curler attachment. This attachment works precisely as the other barrels did, so I also found that using this attachment was fun and easy. Just like with the 1.6” attachment, I found it slightly difficult to pick up my hair the first couple of times. These curls were much tighter than the 1.6”, so if you prefer tighter curls, I suggest you use this attachment. Unfortunately, these curls only lasted a couple of hours before becoming flat. I am not as fond of the results of these barrels as I am of the results using the 1.6” barrels, but I still do like the results. 

Round Volumizing Brush

This cylindrical brush has long bristles that help to direct heat flow into the hair to give it body and volume. This brush can also give hair a slight wave and make it look effortlessly beautiful.

I love the effect that using a cylindrical brush has on my hair. This attachment was one of the things that drew me to this styling tool. This brush gave my hair texture, body, and volume and still managed to make it look healthy and natural. After using this attachment, my hair also felt super soft, which is an added benefit. The round volumizing brush is one of my most favorite attachments in the whole set. 

Is the Dyson Airwrap Worth it?

I believe that the Dyson Airwrap was worth it for me. I love how easy it is to use and how it damages your hair less than traditional tools. The Coanda effect is fascinating and is fun to use. I love how easy it is to curl and style. I also love the design of the cool because it looks sleek, modern, and clean. The leather case it comes packaged in is also stylish, and I love how it doubles as storage; I can easily fit this case on a self. I feel as though I can justify the excessive cost of this styling tool because it eliminates the need for any other styler. However, many people already have several different styling tools, and $550 is a lot of money to spend. I would recommend this tool to anyone looking for an all-in-one hot tool. I picture myself using this styler often, and I cannot wait to experiment with it more!

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My main reason for upgrading is relatively straightforward. My old Surface Pro 3 had a kickstand. The kickstand was there because the keyboard can’t support the weight of the screen on its own. Generally speaking, the kickstand wouldn’t be an issue, but every weekday I have to be on video calls, and I’m required to show my face. One can only position the kickstand so far forward before it snaps back in place, in turn making the screen collapse onto the keyboard. I could never position the kickstand far back enough to get my full face in view, which frustrated my teachers and me a good deal. I could never think of a way around it either. Another issue I had with the kickstand was that it was a challenge to work on certain surfaces. Depending on what surface I was working on, the kickstand would have a hard time staying up. It would slip, and the screen would collapse onto the keyboard. This was a pretty regular occurrence, and it seemed like no matter what I did, the kickstand was always a problem. The kickstand’s primary function is to keep the screen up, and in my opinion, it failed miserably in doing so. The only thing that the kickstand could ever really be useful for is if you used a painting app and used it as an easel or used it to prop up the screen when watching a movie. Even then, though, It might still slip. After all of this struggle, I decided the best option for me was to switch to something more suitable. My best option was the Surface Book 3. 

The Surface Book 3 is a fantastic laptop. It has face ID, which makes logging into the computer so much quicker and easier. The keyboard is by far one of the best, and the trackpad is too. It has a widescreen and amazing color-rendering. It has excellent camera quality as well. The design of the laptop is clean and modern. The material used to make the laptop feels very high quality as well. Depending on what you use it for, the battery life can easily last all day. It’s easy to use, and you can use it for anything. The Surface Book 3 also has the ability to become a tablet. It is easy to take it off the keyboard and snap it back in. Once you snap it in, a notification will pop up on the bottom of the screen that tells you it is attached. It is the best laptop I ever had. Overall, I couldn’t be happier with the switch! I don’t regret buying the Surface Book 3, and honestly, I wish I had it sooner. It is the perfect computer for me; It accommodates all my needs and then some. If you’re looking for a new laptop, I would, without a doubt, recommend the Surface Book 3.

While I do love my new Surface Book 3, it has its cons as well. It is not as portable as other computers. It’s a much larger laptop, and it’s bulkier too. While It probably can fit into most large computer bags, it is relatively heavy for a computer. It also isn’t the cheapest; I got mine for around 1,200.00 USD. It doesn’t come with a Surface pen, so if you want to use it for drawing, it will cost about another 75.00 USD. I got my pen for around this price, and I am super happy with it. I got my pen in the color red, and it adds a nice contrast to the gray metal of the computer. The pen works perfectly, and it is high quality. Another feature of the Surface Book 3 that could be improved is the audio quality for when you make videos. Whenever I would film something on my computer, the audio for the video would be a little bit fuzzy or not as crisp as it should be. 

Overall, I could not be happier that I made the switch. This computer was the perfect fit for me, and I love everything about it. If you require a new laptop and do not mind the price or bulkiness, this laptop is the thing for you. It has a clean design and can cater to every need you could possibly have. 

You can read about another high schooler’s impression of the Surface Book 3 here.

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