Packing for college is a huge job, especially if you are a college bound student heading to a college far from home. You don't have the luxury of zipping on back to mom and dads to grab that shirt you forgot to pack up.

So, this is the list my oh-so-practical mother and I made up when the time rolled around for me to head off to college. I hope that it helps you as much as it helped me!

The battle plan (checklist) is broken up into three sections:

Section 1: What you need to bring with you that you should already own

Section 2: What you will need to pick up at the store before you leave

Section 3: What you should buy once you get to your school

[ ] 2 Umbrellas - one for your car, and one for your dorm

[ ] Down Comforter - they're the best!

[ ] Pillow Mattress Pad - university mattresses are sub-par at best, so this will turn your college dorm bed comfier than your one at home!

[ ] 2 Towels - one bath towel and one beach/swimming towel

[ ] Clorox wipes - essential for detoxifying your room after your roommate gets sick

[ ] Tool Kit - will come in handy, take my word for it

[ ] First Aid Kit - also, will come in handy

[ ] Lamp - dorms have harsh florescent lights in most cases, so a good lamp is nice to read by

[ ] Laundry Hamper - make sure its a big one, because my experience has been that laundry is expensive and laundry day comes about every 2-3 weeks, so clothes will pile up and you don't want to make multiple trips!

[ ] Sticky tack - great for sticking up posters, pictures, whatever

[ ] Post-its - who doesn't like post-its? They help remind me of big projects coming up, and they're also good for leading your roommate on a scavenger hunt to find their hidden _____ (you fill in the blank)

[ ] Scissors - duh

[ ] Highlighters - the text books are yours now! you bought them, so mark away!

[ ] Pens/Pencils - ya ya ya... it's a digital world... blah blah blah, bring them anyway

[ ] Stapler - fun for many activities

[ ] Shampoo/Conditioner - don't forget that stuff!

[ ] Face Wash - or this

[ ] Hand mirror - this too

[ ] Toothpaste/brush - definitely not these

[ ] Computer Paper - most people forget about this one till they need to print out a first assignment, but then it's too late. Of course, you get to meet all the cool people on your hall in your quest to find printer paper!

[ ] Clothes/Shoes - well I hope at least these things are on your top list of priorities

[ ] Pictures - don't bring too many, because surface area is rare in a dorm room if they are framed, otherwise, bring as many as you want!

[ ] Hair dryer/Straightener - can't have caveman hair on your first day of class now can you?

[ ] IPOD/Alarm/Stereo - essential for shakin your groove thang

[ ] Bicycle - good for exercise or getting to class on time if you have a large campus

[ ] Bicycle lock - if you value your bike, look into investing in one of these

[ ] Backpack - or shoulder bag if thats more your thing

[ ] Flashlight - always a good idea

[ ] Sleeping Bag - if you wanna go camping you'll want one of these

[ ] Movies - people pride themselves on how many movies they have at college, so bag them all!

[ ] Stationary - your parents will love you to death for getting some, but then of course you actually have to use it sometime before graduation : )

[ ] Books - but not too many, they're heavy and take up space. Only take your favorites

[ ] Jewelry - accessorize, accessorize, ACCESSORIZE!

[ ] Calendar - lets you keep track of all the breaks you have coming up during the year!

[ ] Fan - nice if your room is not air conditioned

[ ] Washcloths - nice if you're running late, wash your face real quick and get to class!

[ ] Rug - some dorms are tile or concrete, so rugs are nice and make the room feel more homey

[ ] Duck Tape - never a bad idea

[ ] File Cabinet - optional, some dorms have them already

[ ] Passport - you never know where you might want to study or what fun trips you'll want to take in the upcoming years

[ ] Air Freshener - to ward off smelly laundry, roommates, etc

[ ] Dishes - not too many, bring one of each thing

[ ] Stamps - for all that stationary you bought for writing letters to your parents! or if your grandparents send you cookies, you can send them a thank you card

[ ] Trash Can - this will get a lot of use

[ ] Raincoat - you don't wanna sit through class in wet clothes after walking through a downpour do you?

[ ] Snow gloves - how else are you supposed to wage snowball war on unsuspecting classmates?

[ ] Laundry soap/Dryer sheets - static cling is very unfashionable

[ ] Plastic storage bins - great for storing winter clothes or a makeshift coffee table

[ ] Microwave - essential for late night snacks

[ ] Pillow - this can go overlooked, don't pick one up until you get to school because they're big and bulky. You don't want to have to pack a pillow.