Yooo congrats on the new Dell! Honestly getting that first real machine is such a rush! You definitely need to fix that two holes situation first haha. Those are likely USB-C ports and they are amazing but super limiting for older gear. Since your Inspiron is light on ports, you 100 percent need a USB-C hub. It is a total lifesaver for school! I highly recommend the Anker 332 USB-C Hub 5-in-1 because it gives you 5Gbps data transfer speeds and three USB-A ports for your printer and thumb drives for like $25. It is literally plug and play and so small you wont even notice it in your bag. For protection, dont just throw it in your backpack raw! Chicago winters and commutes are rough on electronics. Grab a Tomtoc 360 Protective Laptop Sleeve. These things have amazing corner-armor technology that basically acts like an airbag for your tech. Love it! Then for a mouse, skip the bulky gaming ones and get a Logitech Pebble M350 Wireless Mouse. It is super quiet which is perfect for quiet libraries and uses a high-precision optical sensor that works on almost any surface... even your lap sometimes. Skip the cooling pad honestly. Modern Inspirons are pretty efficient and unless you are doing heavy 4K video rendering you wont need the extra bulk. Save that cash for a SanDisk 128GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive for backing up your essays. Having a physical backup is so much better than just relying on the cloud. You are gonna crush it!

yo!! first off congrats on the Dell!! honestly youre gonna have a blast with it. since you still got 150 bucks left, dont blow it all on fancy stuff you dont need. i spent way too much my first year and regretted it lol. here is what i think is actually worth your cash:

• a stand because your neck will literally die after three hours of writing essays. get the Nulaxy C3 Laptop Stand Aluminum its super sturdy and cheap.
• if you are gonna be in the library get some cheap headphones. Sony MDRZX110 Wired On-Ear Headphones are like twenty bucks and they last forever.
• a basic cleaning kit is a lifesaver. Screen Mom Screen Cleaner Kit keeps that screen looking brand new. tbh you dont need a cooling pad unless youre gaming like crazy. just keep it on a flat surface and youll be golden!! good luck with classes!

Honestly, i learned the hard way that cheap protection is useless. Dropped my first laptop in a flimsy neoprene sleeve during sophomore year and the screen shattered instantly. Since you only have 150 bucks left, do not cheap out on the case. Here is how two popular options actually compare for safety:

• Thule Gauntlet 4 Laptop Sleeve 14 Inch: This is a rugged hard-shell case. It is unfortunately a bit bulky and expensive, but the corner protection is insane. My current laptop survived a fall down the lecture hall stairs in this.
• Amazon Basics Laptop Sleeve 14 Inch: Very cheap and lightweight. Unfortunately, it is not as good as expected for actual drops. It basically just stops scratches, so if you drop your bag, your laptop is toast. Spend the extra money on the Thule, its way cheaper than buying a new screen.

honestly, i have had issues with cheap hubs before; one literally melted my last drive. unfortunately, most budget options just arent as good as expected. i compared the Anker 341 USB-C Hub 7-in-1 versus the Satechi USB-C Slim Multi-Port Adapter V2. the anker handles heat better, but satechi is slimmer. which specific inspiron model do you have exactly? some have better thermal management than others.