Microwave meal:

Hy-Vee buttermilk biscuits 59 cents

Hy-Vee cream of potato soup 67 cents

Hy-Vee cold corn 59 cents

Hy-Vee diced ham $2.78

Salt and pepper/seasonings to taste

butter for the biscuits (optional)

No-bake pumpkin pie:

Jell-O no-bake pumpkin pie $1.99

Hy-Vee whipped topping 77 cents

Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season, full of the spirit of giving. Unfortunately, sometimes we can’t be with our families even if we want to. But even though some of us Panthers come from a few states away or have to work, there’s still a way to celebrate the holiday, even on your own.

By making a couple decorations and some dorm room ham chowder, you can have Thanksgiving for one.

We may not always get to spend the holidays with our families, but we are always able to connect via telephone and social media. And we all have something to be thankful for, so don’t forget what you’re thankful for this season.

This dorm room Thanksgiving doesn’t need a stove; it just needs a microwave.

Start with a large microwavable bowl and put in a handful or so of diced ham. Then add the cream of potato soup, corn and seasonings.

Thoroughly mix everything together and microwave for approximately 5 minutes, or until warm.

This recipe can be changed up a bit. Instead of corn and cream of potato soup, you can use a small can of mixed vegetables and cream of mushroom soup. I also added some shredded cheese and about a half cup of milk to the chowder.

If you decide to bake the biscuits, you’ll need to use the dorm kitchen’s oven. They only take about 12 minutes to cook until golden brown.

The smells of the season always include the distinct scent of pumpkin. The easiest way to get your pumpkin fix is to make a Jell-O no-bake pumpkin pie. It comes in a box and can be found in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.

It may not be the most traditional pie you’ve tasted, but it’s worth it not to use an oven, especially if you live in a dorm room. All you need to make it is 5 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 ? cups of milk.

Since it is Thanksgiving, you can’t forget the turkey. But that’s what decorations are for. There’s always the traditional drawing of a hand turkey on a piece of paper, or you can get just a tad more creative with the next project.

Find a spare cup and a blank piece of printer paper, construction paper or any paper really. Draw seven to nine turkey “leaves” on the paper. Draw a couple eyes, a beak and a snood (the technical term for the red fleshy part on top of the beak I like to call the gobbler).

Cut these parts out, attach the eyes, beak and snood to the front of the cup. I used tape because it’s temporary and I’d like to keep using my glass after Thanksgiving is over. Then color the leaves if you didn’t use colored paper. Finally, attach the paper feathers to the back of the glass.

Voila! You have a turkey centerpiece for your own dorm room coffee table dinner.