I've enrolled in Varmints University to learn compute. 
I haven't used Windows as my primary OS in ten years. My professor wants to expose us to Linux. Cool.
The class is to submit assignments to the department's Linux server, and remotely run a few commands on it.
Cool. I use rsync and ssh every day (the instructions involve Windows utilities like PuTTY and FileZilla, but whatever).
A VPN connection is required to connect to the department's Linux server.
Cool. I use OpenVPN every day. Just give me the config details, chief!
Not so fast. A proprietary 2FA utility is required to connect to the uni VPN, and the IT department informed me by email that it runs on Windows and Mac only. 
So now, what would be the simplest part of this class is the most fucking complicated. Instead of just using my terminal, I ~~have to~~ have had to:
- Install VirtualBox
- Create a Windoze 11 VM
- Create a Microsoft account
- Install the 2FA utility on VM
- Install cygwin Linux utilities on VM
- Install rsync and ssh modules on Cygwin
Just to have a Linux terminal that does what this class requires! 
You could try windows 10 ltsc iot https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot/iot-enterprise/whats-new/windows-10-iot-enterprise-ltsc-2021 ofc its still windows but it should be lighter to run on a VM cos full fat windows and VMs is grim. Years ago when i ran fedora but needed Visual Studio at my first job I'd run win 8 embedded edition or something which managed to truck along nicely on a thinkpad x240 with 2 displays connected.