This is my current laptop and I would like something similar. I'm partial towards asus as my last two laptops have been asus products but I'm open to other options from people who know more about what's out there.

https://www.asus.com/us/Laptops/ASUS-ZenBook-UX306UA/


Reasons I got the zenbook and what I'm looking for in my new one.

Lightweight -- I don't want anything over a few pounds and obviously the lighter the better.
SSD -- I want it to be able to startup in an instant.
i7 processor (might be fine with an i5. Not sure how much this would change the performance)
Long battery life

Not sure how I feel about touchscreen. Still up in the air about if I want it or not.

Anything that would actually utilize an i7 to it's potential will just thermal throttle in a laptop, i5 or even i3 will be fine for a thin n light.
We need to know what you actually plan on using this laptop for before we can really make recommendations.

Welp. I knew I was forgetting something haha.

I need it for the next year and a half of grad school and then I'd love for it to last as long as possible so that I can use it in my career.

Essentially Microsoft office, internet (streaming (netflix/spotify), browsing, multiple tabs/windows open at once).

I want the battery to last long, lightweight, and run things fast and smooth. Also startup and open apps/docs fast.

Yeah that's just basically a SSD and 16gb ram. Easiest way to save battery in my experience is to be conscience of your brightness, that uses up a significant portion of batter so if you can get away with it at 50%, keep it at 50% (or even lower ideally).
If you're not gaming or using it for any type of rendering/modeling programs, get an i5. An i7 will just use more power and yo u won't notice the difference. These days the main determining factor of how "snappy" a computer feels is how fast the hard drive is, processors above like a celeron are plenty for just browsing and office work.