I just love to hear that young women or men are joining our quilting ranks! Spending a little more for the name brand rotary cutter, blades, and SELF-HEALING mat will be well worth it. Go to quilt shop or two and ask about what cutters they use--they cut yards of fabric daily. Ask to hold and maybe even try it out--what feels best in your hand is what counts. Big box stores like JoAnn's and others have their cutters packaged and you can't do that
And check into local quilds--ours offers 6-7 beginner classes for the price of membership---a great way to get started!