If I post publicly again it's going to turn into a pissing match. The other guy just finished sophomore year and he hasn't done C++ or Java. My concerns for you are 2 fold: 1) that MS Surface is shit value for money and 2) if you are considering that then you may also be considering other options that are similarly tablet-like or similarly Apple. You need to make sure the internal chips are of the appropriate type - some of the ultra thins are as different as gas/diesel engines and can't run the same software for physical reasons. Some are big cell phones will others are tiny laptops.

If you are on the fence and don't want to be sucked into this, don't buy now. During your first week go to UITS/HuskyTech in the basement of the math building. That is the dimly lit room where CS majors get paid $20/hr to play games and do trivial repairs. If you give them a price point they will give you 5 options on Amazon, and 5 half price options from the used stuff on Ebay. Just be aware that if you don't a computer in your dorm room you won't have Netflix/Spotify or Pornhub available for 2 weeks - this could be a problem no matter where you fall on the austism spectrum.

;)

Good luck and godspeed this fall.