I think the key here is what will she use it for? If she's studying graphic design or something, then she might want a Mac, as they have quite good software for that.

One thing to remember is, college students usually aren't far from wifi or an outlet. If she wants to carry it a lot, get a smaller size. There will probably be a tv with an HDMI port she can plug it into if she wants to watch movies, and there are lots of usb/bluetooth keyboard options that are more comfortable. She can dock it at home, and be able to carry it around easily. Wifi-wise, she can probably do most of her word-processing online. Google Docs can save as .doc files. I don't know how most US students do it, but I don't really care what format my own students turn their papers in in, as they get converted to pdf files that I can then mark on.

Personally, I play games, so I'd go with a desktop plus a tablet of some sort that I can use with a bluetooth keyboard for note-taking. That would run you about the same price as a Macbook. I recently came back from a 3-week trip, part of which was a conference. I was able to work on my presentation and tweak some things in my handout using my iPad and bluetooth keyboard with few problems (Google Slides ate part of my presentation, but that's a software issue).

They may look cute in the stills, but they're pests that harass tourists (because tourists buy special 'deer crackers' to feed them). One in Nara had just finished shedding its antlers and decided to rub the bloody stump all over my coat.

Huh, I always thought Lotteria was a South Korean company but Wikipedia tells me I'm wrong. I've never been to one, because I like not having clogged arteries.

Mine neither. I'm really curious about mine, but my weak Google-fu can't help me find the origin of 'Eades' beyond that it might be Scottish.

I guess after a while some of these things become so common they lose their shock value. It's always interesting to see what the recently arrived find odd.

One thing Japan definitely isn't is quiet. It's loud, but in a different way to what Americans, and I assume other Westerners, are used to. There are speakers outside of shops playing music/ads to entice shoppers in, and once their inside, they're bombarded by small radios playing jingles on a 10s loop(I worked retail in school, and I think I'd have gone homicidal listening to the same tune that often).

Nice site you got there, too bad the astroturf is showing

EDIT: meant as a reply to spielandglock

Even though the title is in Japanese, I don't think the video is from Japan. Not sure where it's from, but it doesn't sound like Japanese. Maybe Chinese?

In all my time in Spain, I never saw one. Next time I go, I'll have to search one out.

According to some of my S. Korean students, they raise a specific breed for food, and it's known for being "a little dumb", which I guess makes it ok to eat.