Ringing in 2026: My third New Year's Eve at ZJU

As 2026 draws near, I’m getting ready to ring in my third New Year’s Eve at Zhejiang University. On our campus, this night is more than just a countdown—it’s also our “Student Festival,” when every corner of the school comes alive with New Year’s markets hosted by student organizations. Following my personal tradition, I kicked off the evening with ZJU’s free festive meal at the canteen, then headed out with friends to explore the bustling market stalls.

In previous years, I never had much luck winning a roast lamb voucher in the lucky draws, so this time we decided to take matters into our own hands. We lined up early, and after a patient hour-long wait, we finally got to enjoy the legendary campus roast lamb. I also made a different call this year: instead of grabbing front-row seats at the main stage, we spent the night at the carnival zone. We hopped from booth to booth, taking on challenges and collecting as many stamps as we could for prizes. By the time we finished nine games, the night was winding down, and most of the best rewards were already gone. I ended up with a few boxes of snacks—not exactly a jackpot, but certainly better than nothing!

Just as we finished redeeming our prizes, the countdown began. Standing there with my friends, watching fireworks burst beside the grand stage and shouting “Happy New Year!” at the top of our lungs—it felt incredibly romantic. After the festivities wound down, we went for a late-night supper, where I tried porridge-based hotpot for the first time. There was something deeply comforting about that final spoonful of porridge, infused with the natural sweetness of all the ingredients.

Since I started my studies in China, the end of the year has always been my busiest and most chaotic season, juggling event planning for my college with the looming pressure of final exams. I truly hope that by this time next year, I’ll be free of those stresses and can simply lose myself in the joy of our Student Festival.