setting up ubuntu proxy server
 

Ok, I tried to research this, but I don't know quite what I'm trying to accomplish here, so it was hard to google anything. Basically, I've got a Linux box at home and a Windows box at school. I want to access the linux box from school(dorm) and be able to either log into it and use linux or use it as a proxy server(bypass the school's monitoring). It would also be nice to be able to use the linux box as a file server. Does anyone know exactly what I'm trying to accomplish/how I should go about doing it? Sorry for being so vauge and thanks for any help!

It sounds like you want ssh and/or VNC. Start by installing sshd on the linux box and putty on the windows boxen. Google can help you.

For proxying, have a look at squid and/or anon-proxy.