1
"This year I feel that I'm very lucky because last year I was ill before New Year's Day. I had to stay in hospital and couldn't take the last exams. In those days I felt very bored and very sad in hospital. This year it seems that everything is so well for me, my health, my study, my family, my friendships so all in all everything goes well especially my oral English. I think I could speak English well before but I was a little shy, when I talked with my Oral English teacher but now I can talk freely.

I wish that China will be stronger and stronger, we joined the WTO, 2008 Olympic games will be held here and the world Expo will be held in China too.

Spring festival is coming, I'm so cheerful because I can have a long vacation! and I can also call on my middle school classmates. In the days before spring festival, the whole family also got together, we should clean our house, put up couplets, prepare all kinds of food for the festival. At the eve of the festival, the whole family gets together to have dinner, we usually eat dumplings, we also watch CCTV New Year's Eve show and usually some boys like to set off fireworks. A lot of people don't sleep until after midnight. The next morning is New Years Day people are wearing their new clothes, setting off fire crackers, many people visit an ancestral grave, then the whole family will stay together, watching T.V doing sports, playing cards and so on.

The New Years day usually lasts for five days. In these days the family will usually visit relatives and friends with foods and wine and some other things. The children can get money from the older generation if your parents give you money you must kneel down to them (Kowtow)

At New Years Day we eat dumplings the most, because it stands for "Yuan Bao" (A gold ingot used as money) and reunion. If you eat a dumpling with a coin in it it means you'll be affluent in the future. The children should eat some sweets so as to speak out some sweet words. Some people usually make an offering to the kitchen God so as not to cause it to report unfavourably on our family to the Jade Emperor.

Several days later on the 15th of January, is Yuan Xiao festival, (Lantern festival) we should eat yuan xiao. There are all kinds of performances in the streets like flourishing dragon and lion, a street basketball match, art performances and so on...different places have different patterns.

My Chinese name is Liu Xin, English name is "Dreaming" Happy New Year!

2
In a flash a year will pass again, like the flowing water. As for this year, I don't have too much regret and achivement this term we're the real college students, my class mates begin to work hard because they realise the limited time left here and we will graduate a year and a half later. Of course, I also work harder and my aim is clearer than before. All this is good but I don't think I spent time energetically or properly for example, sometimes I read novels late in the evening even into the early morning and I get up on time like before then I'm a bit sleepy in the next day's classes. Next year, I'll be more careful about these things and plan my life more carefully.

Next month we will have our grand festival, - the Spring festival. On New Years day people make their wishes, this year I have many wishes I hope that I'll have some improvements in English, computer, and literature. I hope that my family, friends and my hard-working teachers will have a good time each day and that everything goes well. I hope our great mother China will become stronger and stronger and develop herself towards prosperity.

Chinese name Du Juan, English name Hope.

3
This year the important thing for me was my Grandpa's death. My family was very sad, but it had become a fact we haven't some method so we only accepted this fact. This year sadness was my only emotion but I believe that I will wind up my courage, after all I have something else to do, I can't still remain sad. I'll study hard and work hard so my parents won't worry.

For 2003 I wish China's students can have better communication with foreign students. Of course China's trade, culture, agriculture and something else can reach the developed countries level. As for me, I wish I'll learn English well and I wish our foreign teacher could come back to China again.

Different places have different customs. In our hometown people spend the New Year in a more and more modern way. People don't spend the New Year in a traditional way like before except setting off a few fireworks and putting up the couplet. In the morning of New Years day, adults will give children red envelopes.

Afternoon family members stay together and have meals. The Spring Festival is the most important festival in Chinese people's hearts.

From Monica - Yang Ji Liang

4
This year, I don't feel very well, most of the time I feel very alone, I don't know why maybe it is because I am more grown up now. This summer vacation I was happy because I went to Beijing with my best friend and we were very happy once there.

I wish China would become better and better and more prosperous and thriving in the New Year. I hope I will study harder.

This New Year I will stay with my extended family and we will eat together and go out. The important thing is that I will have money but I also have trouble in the New Year because I will get fat, but I don't want to get fat. On New Year's day my family will watch CCTV-1. We are very happy and in that time I always chat on the phone with my good friends to share our enjoyment.

By Zhou Fang

5
This year isn't very good I haven't done very well in my class although I expected to do well.
My parents hoped that I would get a good mark in my class. I think all Chinese parents want their children to do really well in school so these children don't have time to do other things other than study, - they weren't allowed to. Because my parents treated me in this way before I entered college I brought the effects of this with me. When I do well in class I will feel happy but when I do badly I will feel sad.

The New Year is coming, I plan to work harder on my lessons and to pay attention to others. I want to learn dancing and how to use the computer and so on. I like playing basketball and listening to music. I like all kinds of interesting things. I hope in the New Year I can do everything well.

We call the Chinese New Year the "Lunar New Year". It lasts about two weeks. On the last day of the old year, we usually set off fireworks and stick couplets on the two sides of the doors. That night the whole family will come together to have a meal. On the first day of the New Year we should visit the neighbours and from then on we visit relatives. We call this "Bai Nian". At this time of year each family will make much delicious food so I'm afraid I will become fat at that time! I enjoy this time very much.

By Han Nuan (Rose)

6
I felt very happy because a girl came into my life; she made my life more colourful and bright. It also had a good effect on my study.

In the next year I hope my country will develop more and more while the government must fight against corruption. Next year I will face graduation from school, I will work hard and gain more knowledge so I can find a good job.

By Peter - Zong Yong.

7
This year 2002 is about to end, thinking about this year I think I have had some benefits. I realised the importance of study, I can know my future after all I'm not a teenager. I also had some new friends. From this term I found my confidence that made me accomplish some very successful things.

China is a developing country but now, in economics, science and many other fields, China has had big developments. We don't depend on imports, we can produce by ourselves and in particular we joined the WTO. It is very good for China's development. It means that China has been approved by the world so I am full of confidence about China's future. I believe that China's tomorrow will become better and better.

By Zhang Jing (Carolyn)