It’s an unfortunate truth that it’s extremely hard to get into the holiday spirit as a college student considering most of us have a good twenty bucks to our name and no access to a stove. However, do not fret because there ARE options. Here are two recipes made to be easy and very very yummy that will make you think – hmm, maybe it is the holidays after all! Afterall, if we can’t celebrate the holidays with our stomachs, are we celebrating at all?!

Mug Cakes

If you’ve never heard of a mug cake, prepare to have your mind blow. I have an exceptionally great idea that you can bring to your kitchen with a few easy steps, and it only takes ten minutes tops. You will start by collecting the ingredients below:

¼ cup all purpose flour, as you can’t make most desserts without it!

¼ cup white sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa powder, meant to balance each other out and make a real sweet treat.

⅛ tsp baking soda, a leavening agent that will make the cake rise.

IIII. A pinch of salt, to layer the flavor and make for a fun taste.

X. 3 tbsp milk, to keep the cake from drying out in the microwave.

XI. 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola oil, to keep the batter moist without adding flavor.

XII. Water, just a tablespoon, to create the perfect texture

XIII. A dash of vanilla, for a finishing touch

Stir all these mixed ingredients in a mug and cook in the microwave for around 2 minutes until the cake that’s in the middle is thoroughly cooked. Congrats – you’ve made a mug cake!

White Chocolate Popcorn

We’ve all seen those bags of popcorn in the store, decorated in chocolate and candy. The only thing is that… They're always so expensive! If you’re like me and want to have a sweet treat at an affordable price, then this next recipe is for you.

2 packages of plain microwave popcorn

17 ounces of white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon butter

Pop 1 popcorn bag at a time in the microwave on high heat until the popping starts to slow down, about 2 1/2 minutes in. Open the bags carefully and transfer popcorn to a large plastic bag, discarding any burnt pieces or unpopped kernels.Melt white chocolate chips with butter on top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula, until mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes.Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Close the bag and shake until the popcorn is thoroughly coated, likely for 3 to 4 minutes. Place in the refrigerator to cool for about 1 hour or until it’s hardened.

At the end of the day, it’s really important that even though we are college students with countless responsibilities and financial issues, we stop and take in the holiday times around us. It’s always around February where I stop and think – where did Christmas go?!