essay on new year 2023

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• New Year Essay

New Year Essay for Students in English

New Year's Eve is a joyous festival celebrated all over the world. According to the Gregorian calendar, it marks the start of a new year (which contains 12 months and January 1 is counted as the first day of a new year). People all over the world begin making plans for new year's resolutions and preparations one month in advance.

New Year's Eve is a universal celebration that transcends cultural and caste boundaries, bringing joy to people worldwide. Celebrated with enthusiasm, people of all ages engage in various activities. Many schools and educational institutions observe a winter break, starting from Christmas Eve and extending until New Year's (January 1). The significance of New Year's lies in its representation of a fresh start, ushering in happiness as people bid farewell to the past year. This festive occasion symbolises hope and optimism, uniting individuals in the shared anticipation of new beginnings and the possibilities the upcoming year holds.  

The New Year is a time for people to put all of their bad experiences behind them and take a positive step into the future. Everyone wishes for their own and their loved ones' happiness, health, and prosperity in the coming New Year. For children, a new year is incomplete without three things: a Christmas tree, a New Year's Eve party with new dresses, and the required New Year's essay as part of their winter vacation homework).

How do People Around the World Celebrate?

A unique custom has been followed these days in every household – a New Year tree. In order to define this, it is nothing but the Christmas tree that gets decorated during the festive season and year-end. All the family members take part in decorating the Christmas tree/ New Year tree with various kinds of toys, bells, stars, candies, mistletoe, and colourful fairy lights.

New Year’s day is followed by different other customs and traditions in every household across the globe. Each culture celebrates this day in its own unique way. Some people start planning for a mini-vacation beforehand while some plan to spend quality time with their loved ones. The preparation begins with buying gifts, decorating houses, and purchasing new clothes.

India's New Year's Eve Celebration 

Everyone in India celebrates New Year on different days depending on their religion. Nonetheless, due to the influence of Western civilization, most people now celebrate New Year's Day on January 1 st as well. 

The advent of the New Year in India is marked by vibrant and diverse celebrations that resonate with cultural richness. It is a time when people extend heartfelt congratulations to their friends and family, sharing the joy of a fresh beginning. Hindus, in particular, embark on a tradition of thorough house cleaning, adorning their homes with saffron flags that symbolize auspiciousness.

The religious fervor escalates as bhajans echo in temples, creating a serene atmosphere. Special prayers are offered, fostering a spiritual ambiance across various religious sites. The New Year becomes a canvas for cultural expression, with events like Kavi Sammelan, Bhajan Sandhya, and Kalash Yatra captivating audiences in different locations. These festivities underscore the unity in diversity as India welcomes the promise of a new year with enthusiasm and reverence. 

January 1 as New Year’s Day

The early Roman Calendar has 10 months and 304 days, and each new year begins on the spring equinox; according to tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, later added the months of Januarius and Februarius to the Roman Calendar in 1713 B.C.

Over the centuries, the calendar has been out of sync with the Sun. The emperor Caesar then decided to solve the mystery in 46 B.C. by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of the time. Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, which was very similar to the modern Gregorian calendar, which is still used by the majority of countries around the world.

Caesar established January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honour Janus, the Roman god of beginnings (whose two faces allowed him to seem back to the past and forward into the longer term which was a part of his reforms). To commemorate the New Year, the Romans exchanged gifts and offered sacrifices to God Janus. They also went to loud parties and adorned their homes with laurel branches.

Traditions for the New Year

Many countries celebrate New Year from the evening of December 31 (also known as New Year's Eve) until the early hours of January 1 st , often with several meals and snacks to bring good fortune in the coming year. Grapes are known as a symbol of hope for the coming months and are thus used by people in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.

Legumes, such as lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States, have been a traditional New Year's dish in many countries and places because they are thought to resemble coins and future financial success. Pork is also a popular New Year's dish in some countries, including Austria, Hungary, Cuba, and Portugal, and it is believed that pigs represent progress and prosperity.

Rice pudding with an almond hidden inside it is served on New Year's Eve in many countries, including Sweden and Norway. It is said that whoever finds the almond will be blessed with 12 months of good fortune. In contrast, ring-shaped cakes and pastries are served during the New Year in the Netherlands, Greece, Mexico, and other countries. It denotes that the year has completed a full circle.

The Importance of the New Year

New Year's Eve is like a big, happy party that everyone in the world joins! It's a special time when we say goodbye to the old year and welcome the brand-new one with excitement. The New Year is like a magical reset button; it encourages us to start fresh, try new things, and bring more happiness into our lives.

In the New Year, we look back at the things we did in the past year and learn from them. If we make any mistakes, it's okay because the New Year gives us a chance to do better. We make promises to ourselves, called resolutions, to be kind, work hard, or learn something new. It's like setting goals for ourselves.

The New Year is a bit like a festival, but instead of lights and decorations, it's full of positive vibes and energy. This energy helps us tackle challenges and reach our goals. So, New Year's Eve is not just a date on the calendar; it's a special time that fills us with enthusiasm and makes our lives even more exciting!

New Year’s Short Essay

On New Year's Day, everyone puts on new clothes and congratulates one another. On the occasion of the New Year, many different types of programmes are held in schools. The event of the New Year retains various fireworks, dance competitions, singing competitions, and so on. At New Year's, the market is ablaze with colour, with colourful lights, and other decorative items adorning every surface. On the occasion of the New Year, some countries have a state holiday, so people go on picnics. The New Year brings with it new hopes; we should always be happy in any situation, good or bad.

On this day, everyone reflects on the significant events of the previous year and evaluates the circumstances under which the entire year was spent. And, to make amends for the shortcomings of the previous year, take a new oath on the auspicious occasion of the New Year and get involved in doing that work for the coming year with full hard work and dedication. The Western Civilization's New Year was celebrated in Babylon 4000 years ago, but it was held on March 21 st at the time. However, since the introduction of the Julian calendar, New Year's Day has been celebrated on January 1 st every year. Every year has 365 days, at the end of which the New Year is celebrated with great zeal. Because of the influence of Western civilization throughout the world, everyone now celebrates January 1 as New Year's Day.

FAQs on New Year Essay

1. Why is New Year's Eve considered special?

New Year's Eve is special because it marks the end of the old year and the beginning of a fresh one. It's a time for reflection, celebration, and setting new goals.

2. What do people do on New Year's Eve?

People celebrate New Year's Eve by organizing parties, sending greetings to friends and family, and participating in various events. It's also a time for making resolutions for self-improvement.

3. Why is the New Year compared to a festival?

The New Year is compared to a festival because, like festivals, it brings joy and a sense of new beginnings. People often celebrate with enthusiasm, similar to how they celebrate festivals.

4. How do people prepare for the New Year?

Preparations for the New Year often include cleaning homes, decorating, and planning special activities. Many also reflect on the past year and make plans for the future.

5. Why do people make New Year's resolutions?

Making resolutions is a way for people to set goals and make positive changes in their lives. It symbolizes a fresh start and a commitment to self-improvement in the coming year.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

Essay on New Year for School Students: 100, 200 and 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Nov 16, 2023

New Year is not just for celebrations and resolutions, it’s a time to reflect on one’s life, including accomplishments, mistakes, and lessons learned, as well as any new opportunities one may have to improve and enrich it. Students are frequently required to write essays on a variety of topics in school. Check out some of the best samples of essay on new year to inspire your own originality and inspiration. Continue reading. 

Also Read: Essay on Christmas

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on New Year in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on New Year in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on New Year in 300 Words

Essay on New Year in 100 Words

One of the most exciting times of the year is the new year, which is celebrated with joy and festivity all throughout the world. People all around the world are happy because it offers them a chance to start over and build a better future for themselves. 

On January 1st, both the Julian and Gregorian calendars observe New Year’s Day. On December 31st, people begin their New Year celebrations. People belonging to different cultures have their unique ways of celebrating this event. 

During the New Year, all of the markets, shopping centres, hotels, and eateries are beautifully decorated and provide several discounts. Individuals of all ages come together to ring in the new year with fun and happiness.  The beginning of a new year is the ideal moment to start over. 

Also Read: Essay on Winter Season

Essay on New Year in 200 Words

Resolutions and new beginnings are common during the New Year’s season. A lot of people set goals for the new year. The excitement, fervour, new outfits, parties on New Year’s Eve, gifts, and loads of fun are all hallmarks of the holiday. On this day, people wish and congratulate their friends and family. A close-knit group cooks and savours a variety of delicacies. This day is celebrated by people worldwide with celebrations and fireworks. 

In addition, many celebrate in their places of employment and plan different get-togethers and celebrations for their staff members to add some new life to their days. The invigorating new beginning that the new year offers to everyone’s life is its best feature. Everybody has the opportunity to start over, full of optimism, and look forward to a bright future as the calendar resets. 

Children are also brimming with happiness and excitement, as well as blessings from their loved ones, new clothes, gifts, and candies. Numerous educational institutions host comprehensive growth initiatives that begin on Christmas Day and run through New Year’s Eve. People carry on the lessons they have acquired from their past failures.    

Essay on New Year in 300 Words

Every year on New Year’s Eve, people celebrate and remember the previous year by having a great time and exchanging gifts, decorations, and delicious food. It’s a time when people from all over the world start over. 

Gregorian New Year, which falls on January 1st, is marked by a huge party. It is also said to be the Julian calendar’s New Year’s Day. Rome’s Julius Caesar was the first to proclaim January 1st as a national holiday. 

Nowhere is as festive as in Western countries when it comes to celebrating a new year. To celebrate New Year’s Eve, they all get together. It’s a common belief that the start of a new year brings with it happiness and fresh dreams. It’s also an ideal opportunity to take stock of the lessons and experiences of the past and look forward with optimism. 

Globally, people celebrate the English Calendar’s New Year, despite the fact that other cultures follow different calendars. Every culture celebrates the new year in a unique way. In India, for instance, many Hindus celebrate the New Year around the end of March or the start of April, whereas the Chinese celebrate it around February. While the dates may fluctuate throughout countries, the spirit of New Year’s stays the same. 

People celebrate this day, regardless of where they live, what religion they practise, or what region they come from. They see it as a chance to make the most of their life and make improvements to it.

Additionally, the New Year is a great opportunity to make resolutions. Getting organised, giving up a habit, planning to start new tasks, aiming for a high score, adopting a healthy lifestyle, or anything else. On this day, many people resolve to begin a new chapter in their lives. 

Every year on December 31st and January 1st, people celebrate New Year’s Eve, which marks the start of a new calendar year. 

Julius Caesar proposed the Julian Calendar. It is believed that it was a reform of the Roman Calendar. 

On this day, people take a moment to pause, look back, and make a fresh start for the future as they consider the lessons and experiences they have had this year. 

Related Posts

For more information on such interesting topics for your school, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Nidhi Mishra

Nidhi Mishra is a seasoned senior content writer with more than eight years of diverse experience in the field of education. Her varied career encompasses work in teaching, training, counselling, developing curriculum, and content creation. Nidhi has a solid background in education and has developed her abilities to meet the diverse needs of students, especially students who want to study abroad. Throughout her career, Nidhi has been an invaluable resource to students with their test-taking efforts, offering thorough career assistance and insightful advice on how to navigate the complexity of the system of education. Her speciality is creating interesting and educational content that is specifically designed to fulfil the needs of students who want to pursue higher education abroad. Together with her wonderful writing skills, Nidhi's love of education has allowed her to produce content that has a lasting impression on readers, educators, and students alike. She is committed to providing high-quality, timely, and insightful content because she believes that education can empower people.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

• CBSE Class 10th
• CBSE Class 12th
• UP Board 10th
• UP Board 12th
• Bihar Board 10th
• Bihar Board 12th
• Top Schools in India
• Top Schools in Delhi
• Top Schools in Mumbai
• Top Schools in Chennai
• Top Schools in Hyderabad
• Top Schools in Kolkata
• Top Schools in Pune
• Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

• JEE Main Knockout April
• Free Sample Papers
• Free Ebooks
• NCERT Notes
• NCERT Syllabus
• NCERT Books
• RD Sharma Solutions
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25
• NCERT Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT solutions for Class 10
• NCERT solutions for Class 9
• NCERT solutions for Class 8
• NCERT Solutions for Class 7
• JEE Main 2024
• MHT CET 2024
• JEE Advanced 2024
• BITSAT 2024
• View All Engineering Exams
• Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
• Top Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
• Top IITs in India
• Top NITs in India
• Top IIITs in India
• JEE Main College Predictor
• JEE Main Rank Predictor
• MHT CET College Predictor
• AP EAMCET College Predictor
• GATE College Predictor
• KCET College Predictor
• JEE Advanced College Predictor
• View All College Predictors
• JEE Advanced Cutoff
• JEE Main Cutoff
• JEE Advanced Answer Key
• JEE Advanced Result
• Download E-Books and Sample Papers
• Compare Colleges
• B.Tech College Applications
• KCET Result
• MAH MBA CET Exam
• View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

• MBA College Admissions
• MBA Colleges in India
• Top IIMs Colleges in India
• Top Online MBA Colleges in India
• MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
• BBA Colleges in India
• XAT College Predictor 2024
• SNAP College Predictor
• NMAT College Predictor
• MAT College Predictor 2024
• CMAT College Predictor 2024
• CAT Percentile Predictor 2024
• CAT 2024 College Predictor
• TS ICET 2024 Results
• AP ICET Counselling 2024
• CMAT Result 2024
• MAH MBA CET Cutoff 2024
• Download Helpful Ebooks
• List of Popular Branches
• QnA - Get answers to your doubts
• IIM Fees Structure
• AIIMS Nursing
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
• Medical Colleges accepting NEET
• List of Medical Colleges in India
• List of AIIMS Colleges In India
• Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
• Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
• NEET College Predictor
• NEET PG College Predictor
• NEET MDS College Predictor
• NEET Rank Predictor
• DNB PDCET College Predictor
• NEET Result 2024
• NEET Asnwer Key 2024
• NEET Cut off
• NEET Online Preparation
• Download Helpful E-books
• Colleges Accepting Admissions
• Top Law Colleges in India
• Law College Accepting CLAT Score
• List of Law Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Delhi
• Top NLUs Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
• Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

• CLAT College Predictor
• MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
• AILET College Predictor
• Sample Papers
• Compare Law Collages
• Careers360 Youtube Channel
• CLAT Syllabus 2025
• CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
• NID DAT Exam
• Pearl Academy Exam

Predictors & Articles

• NIFT College Predictor
• UCEED College Predictor
• NID DAT College Predictor
• NID DAT Syllabus 2025
• NID DAT 2025
• Design Colleges in India
• Top NIFT Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in India
• Top Interior Design Colleges in India
• Top Graphic Designing Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
• Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Interior Design Colleges in Bangalore
• NIFT Result 2024
• NIFT Fees Structure
• NIFT Syllabus 2025
• Free Design E-books
• List of Branches
• Careers360 Youtube channel
• IPU CET BJMC
• JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
• Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
• Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
• List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
• CA Intermediate
• CA Foundation
• CS Executive
• CS Professional
• Difference between CA and CS
• Difference between CA and CMA
• CA Full form
• CMA Full form
• CS Full form
• CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Commerce (M.Com)
• Company Secretary
• Cost Accountant
• Charted Accountant
• Credit Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Top Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
• Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
• Top B.Com Colleges in India
• IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
• MCA Colleges in India
• BCA Colleges in India

Quick Links

• Information Technology Courses
• Programming Courses
• Web Development Courses
• Data Analytics Courses
• Big Data Analytics Courses
• RUHS Pharmacy Admission Test
• Top Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Colleges in Pune
• Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai
• Colleges Accepting GPAT Score
• Pharmacy Colleges in Lucknow
• List of Pharmacy Colleges in Nagpur
• GPAT Result
• GPAT 2024 Admit Card
• GPAT Question Papers
• NCHMCT JEE 2024
• Mah BHMCT CET
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Delhi
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Hyderabad
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Maharashtra
• B.Sc Hotel Management
• Hotel Management
• Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma Colleges

• Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
• UPSC IAS 2024
• SSC CGL 2024
• IBPS RRB 2024
• Previous Year Sample Papers
• Free Competition E-books
• Sarkari Result
• QnA- Get your doubts answered
• UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
• CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
• SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
• NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

• NDA Application Form 2024
• UPSC IAS Application Form 2024
• CDS Application Form 2024
• CTET Admit card 2024
• HP TET Result 2023
• SSC GD Constable Admit Card 2024
• UPTET Notification 2024
• SBI Clerk Result 2024

Other Exams

• SSC CHSL 2024
• UP PCS 2024
• UGC NET 2024
• RRB NTPC 2024
• IBPS PO 2024
• IBPS Clerk 2024
• IBPS SO 2024
• Top University in USA
• Top University in Canada
• Top University in Ireland
• Top Universities in UK
• Top Universities in Australia
• Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
• Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

• Study in USA
• Study in UK
• Study in Canada
• Study in Australia
• Study in Ireland
• Study in Germany
• Study in China
• Study in Europe

Student Visas

• Student Visa Canada
• Student Visa UK
• Student Visa USA
• Student Visa Australia
• Student Visa Germany
• Student Visa New Zealand
• Student Visa Ireland
• CUET PG 2024
• IGNOU B.Ed Admission 2024
• DU Admission 2024
• UP B.Ed JEE 2024
• LPU NEST 2024
• IIT JAM 2024
• IGNOU Online Admission 2024
• Universities in India
• Top Universities in India 2024
• Top Colleges in India
• Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Bihar
• Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
• Central Universities in India
• CUET DU Cut off 2024
• IGNOU Date Sheet
• CUET DU CSAS Portal 2024
• CUET Response Sheet 2024
• CUET Result 2024
• CUET Participating Universities 2024
• CUET Previous Year Question Paper
• CUET Syllabus 2024 for Science Students
• E-Books and Sample Papers
• CUET Exam Pattern 2024
• CUET Exam Date 2024
• CUET Cut Off 2024
• CUET Exam Analysis 2024
• IGNOU Exam Form 2024
• CUET PG Counselling 2024
• CUET Answer Key 2024

Engineering Preparation

• Knockout JEE Main 2024
• Test Series JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

• Knockout NEET 2024
• Test Series NEET 2024
• Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

• JEE Main One Month Course
• NEET One Month Course
• IBSAT Free Mock Tests
• IIT JEE Foundation Course
• Knockout BITSAT 2024
• Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

• IT & Software Certification Courses
• Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
• Programming And Development Certification Courses
• Business and Management Certification Courses
• Marketing Certification Courses
• Health and Fitness Certification Courses
• Design Certification Courses

Specializations

• Digital Marketing Certification Courses
• Cyber Security Certification Courses
• Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
• Business Analytics Certification Courses
• Data Science Certification Courses
• Cloud Computing Certification Courses
• Machine Learning Certification Courses
• View All Certification Courses
• UG Degree Courses
• PG Degree Courses
• Short Term Courses
• Free Courses
• Online Degrees and Diplomas
• Compare Courses

Top Providers

• Coursera Courses
• Udemy Courses
• Edx Courses
• Swayam Courses
• upGrad Courses
• Simplilearn Courses
• Great Learning Courses

New Year Essay in English - 100, 200, 500 Words

New Year, a day that sparks joy in most of our hearts and minds, is celebrated in vastly different forms depending on the culture one belongs to. New Year is a set day that marks the start of a new year. Most of us celebrate New Year’s on January 1st. However, different cultures, such as Chinese, Islamic, and Jewish, have their own religious calendars and may celebrate New Year’s Day at different times of the year. Here are a few sample essays on “New Year”.

100 Words Essay on New Year

New Year’s Day marks it as an auspicious and wonderful day for people around the globe. It is a festival that is celebrated by everybody around the globe, irrespective of their culture and faith. It is a festival where everyone comes together and celebrates a day that marks a new beginning in everyone’s life. It is a day when people evaluate and take valuable lessons from the experiences they faced in the previous year and use them to do better in the next year of their life. Often, people make resolutions to lead this New Year with a positive mindset and in hopes of making next year better than the previous year.

200 Words Essay on New Year

The new year refers to the first day of the year. As New Year approaches, people become excited and welcome it with great zeal and great enthusiasm. A lot of people see the new year as an opportunity to make resolutions and commit themselves to causes that they’ve wanted to pursue for a long. People’s new year resolutions are usually about evaluating their shortcomings and working on themselves personally, professionally, and socially.

People also welcome the new year by renovating their houses, putting up lights and decorations in their homes, buying cakes, lighting fireworks, going out for picnics or meeting family, friends, or relatives, and being excited for the auspicious day. People are both enthusiastic and calm as a new sense of hope washes over everybody as they prepare for things that the new year will bring them.

Traditions Of New Year

One of the most common traditions on New Year's Day is the making of resolutions. Many people resolve to make positive changes in their lives, such as eating healthier, exercising more, or quitting a bad habit. While some people are able to stick to their resolutions, others find it more difficult to follow through on their goals. Regardless of whether or not resolutions are successful, the act of making them is an important way for people to set intentions for the year ahead and strive for self-improvement.

500 Words Essay on New Year

As the New Year comes along, it signifies a fresh start and something to contemplate about. It gives people a way to set new goals and ideologies for themselves.

As everyone celebrates New Year, different cultures celebrate New Year differently. Although there are several examples, here are a few of them.

For around 15 days, many Asian countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and mainly China celebrate Spring Year, a.k.a New year. Because the first day of the new year signifies the end of the coldest part of winter and the beginning of the spring months, it is given the name "Spring Festival." It is observed at the beginning of the solar year, according to the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, which also shows the moon phase.

The Lantern Festival, which is observed on the fifteenth day of the first calendar month and serves as the festival's culmination, is traditionally held on the eve of the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, which translates to "Head of the Year," is when Jews around the world mark the beginning of the new year. Rosh Hashanah is seen as a time of celebration, reflection, and acknowledgement of the end of another year. On the first and second days of Tishrei, the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, it is welcomed. Traditions associated with the occasion include eating foods like dates, leeks, beets, and pomegranates, as well as blowing the shofar, or ram's horn, at synagogues.

For Nowruz, which means a new day, at the beginning of spring, around 73 million people in Iran and 30 million people in Afghanistan celebrate the rebirth of nature for 13 days. It is one of the oldest holidays in history and is sometimes referred to as the Persian New Year. It has been observed for nearly 3,900 years.

Pahela Baishakh

In a state of India known as Bengal, people celebrate a festival called Pahela Baishakh (which roughly translates to ‘first month’) in the month of April. According to their calendar, it marks the start of their New Year. They celebrate it because, during this time, the harvesting season starts. To greet each other on New Year, people use the phrase “Shubho Noboborsha”, which roughly translates to “Happy New Year.”

How I Celebrated New Year?

As the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for what the coming year would bring. I had spent the day preparing for the celebrations, decorating my home with sparkling streamers and festive balloons, and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

As the countdown to midnight began, we all huddled together, eagerly waiting for the moment when the new year would arrive. When the final seconds ticked away, we erupted into cheers and hugs, ringing in the new year with a sense of hope and joy. I felt grateful to be surrounded by loved ones and was filled with a sense of optimism for what the coming year would bring.

As the night drew to a close and we said our goodbyes, I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness, knowing that I had welcomed the new year in the best way possible – surrounded by the people I care about most.

Applications for Admissions are open.

Aakash iACST Scholarship Test 2024

Get up to 90% scholarship on NEET, JEE & Foundation courses

ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

Register FREE for ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

JEE Main Important Physics formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Physics formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

PW JEE Coaching

Enrol in PW Vidyapeeth center for JEE coaching

JEE Main Important Chemistry formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Chemistry formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

ALLEN JEE Exam Prep

Start your JEE preparation with ALLEN

Download Careers360 App's

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

Certifications

We Appeared in

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

• Dear Life Kit
• Life Skills

What do you want to accomplish in 2023? This New Year's resolution guide can help

Connie Hanzhang Jin

Malaka Gharib

Becky Harlan

What do you want to accomplish this year? Scroll through Life Kit's expert guides for practical and inspiring ways to grow in 2023.

Ah, the new year. It's a time to sketch out your goals and think about the roadmap to get there.

Life Kit has curated a list of some of our best episodes to help set you up for success in 2023. They include practical guidance (like how to pick a birth control or ask for a raise ), forward-thinking advice (like how to save for retirement or freeze your eggs ) and tips on how to live more mindfully (like how to reduce food waste or set boundaries ).

It might feel hard to start a new habit, but as BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford and author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything , told Life Kit in a 2020 interview , "it's easier to create habits and change than most people think, and it's faster than most people think. It can even be fun if you do it in the right way."

The key is to understand how behavior change happens. You've got to have the motivation, the ability to do the behavior and a prompt, says Fogg. "And the prompt is anything that reminds you to do this behavior now. And when those three things come together at the same moment, a behavior happens."

So go on, pick a resolution that's achievable — but also bold and aspirational. We've got 40+ ideas for you to choose from. Here's to a stronger, more confident you in 2023.

• How to change careers
• How to return to college
• How to find a mentor
• How to ask for a raise
• How to futureproof your body
• How to start an exercise habit
• How to get into strength training
• How to drink less alcohol
• How to pick a birth control
• How to create a better bedtime routine
• How to approach weight loss differently
• How to clear your clutter
• How to split household chores
• How to reduce food waste
• How to keep your house clean
• How to stay on top of 'life admin'
• How to train your dog

Mental health

• How to be less indecisive
• How to deal with uncertainty
• How to draw boundaries
• How to start therapy
• Find your purpose

Relationships

• How to navigate the coming out convo
• How to travel with friends
• How to make new friends
• How to show your friends you love them
• How to break up
• How to create a relationship contract
• How to be OK with being single
• How to fall in love
• How to learn your heritage language
• How to pack for a trip
• How to start a creative habit

Personal finance

• How to write a will
• How to plan a budget
• How to budget for a baby
• How to save for retirement
• How to decide if you want a baby
• How to freeze your eggs
• How to get your kid to listen better
• How to win back time as a working parent

Goal setting

• How to avoid cognitive bias
• How to examine your regrets
• How to stop procrastinating
• How to make a better to-do list

The episodes were created by Life Kit. Design, development and illustrations by Connie Hanzhang Jin. Production, editing and art direction by Malaka Gharib and Beck Harlan with additional support by Julia Carney. Special thanks to Life Kit supervising editor Meghan Keane, growth editor Arielle Retting, senior digital analyst Brittany Cheng and engagement editor Dylan Scott.

We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823 , or email us at [email protected] .

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify , or sign up for our newsletter .

• Life Kit: Life Skills

• Sep 27, 2023

New Essay Topics for 2023—and How to Approach Them

After years of relative consistency in their essay prompts, US colleges began shaking up their essay prompts in 2020—and this year, that trend has continued, with many schools introducing brand-new essay prompts for 2023. We’ve noticed a few trends in how colleges are changing their essay prompts; here’s our take on the new developments.

Diversity and Flexibility

This year’s essay changes tend to boil down to three themes: flexibility, diversity, and community engagement. Colleges are showing a greater interest than ever in how students’ life experiences have shaped what they’ll contribute to the class—and in the interest of learning that, they’re offering broader essay prompts that allow more room for creative topics. 

Princeton is a great case study for this. This year, they’ve removed their essay prompt about difficult conversations and replaced it with this one:

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words or fewer)

Provided the student frames their story correctly and pays attention to the second half of the prompt (what classmates will learn from them), there are very few topics that cannot be discussed for this question. We love that it gives students the freedom to share their favorite life experience or elaborate on the community they grew up in—and to do so in 500 words of detail. Choosing your best life experience (that you didn’t write about in the Common App personal statement) means you can draw on material from other applications, expanding your best essay from another school rather than writing a new one from scratch. This means the question may require less time to answer than its predecessor, even though the word count is longer. 

Many other schools have introduced shorter versions of this prompt: For instance, UVA has added:

What about your background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at UVA? (300 words)

While these prompts are shorter than Princeton’s, they are fundamentally similar. You have a lot of freedom to tell your best story to admission officers, but you should also explicitly discuss how other students will benefit when you share your experience with them. 

Community Engagement

Another popular new essay topic is community engagement: Colleges seem particularly interested in students who are active in their communities and seek not just to succeed personally, but make a broader impact on society. This has been true for years, but many schools are now introducing essays on this topic (some mandatory). Here are some examples:

Tell us about a community that you have been part of where your participation helped to change or shape the community for the better. (Emory) 

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? (Boston University)

We recommend approaching this topic with a personal touch. Reflect on community issues that have touched you or someone close to you—for example, issues facing particular racial and cultural communities, genders, or sexual orientations. This gives you an opportunity to not just recap a service or activism activity, but also share a bit about your personal life outside of school and extracurriculars. 

Don’t be afraid to define “social or community issue” broadly. Many students will focus on communities related to racial, cultural, or sexual identities, but workplaces, school clubs, religious congregations, towns, geographic regions, and families are also communities. You can also think bigger—issues like environmental sustainability affect the entire global community, and this is also a valid way to approach a community prompt. Having a story that’s interesting, original, and deeply reflective is the key to succeeding on these prompts—and that’s possible with any community.

With so many schools changing their requirements, this is a tumultuous year for college admissions, with many unknowns. However, one thing is certain: Essays will be more important than ever as schools stop looking at factors like SAT scores, race, and legacy status.

At College Choice Counseling®, our counselors and tutors are here to help you with college counseling , college essay and application help , test prep tutoring , and academic subject tutoring .

Reach out to us to discuss how we can help your essay shine!

Recent Posts

Crash course: How to write a great “Why School” essay

When is New Year's 2023? Here's when (and why) we celebrate the holiday.

The countdown to the New Year practically begins when the previous one ends. On January 1 of every year, people ring in the New Year with resolutions to change and parties filled with good times. 

But why do we celebrate New Year's and how did the holiday originate? Its current state of champagne toasts and  midnight kisses has not always been how New Year's was celebrated.

So, here is what you need to know about New Year's 2023, plus getting to know more about its origins, traditions and celebrations. 

USA TODAY Gift Guide:   No matter how you holiday, make it iconic. Shop the USA TODAY holiday gift collection. 

Just Curious:  We're here to answer life's everyday questions

When is New Years 2023? 

New Year's Day is Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. Since it falls on a Sunday, the public holiday of New Year's is Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. 

Why do we kiss underneath a parasite? The origins of mistletoe explained

When is New Year's Eve? 

New Year's Eve is Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. 

Why does the new year begin on January 1?

New Year's festivities date back thousands of years to ancient Babylon, where the first new moon after the vernal equinox signified the start of a new year. The festival of "Akitu" lasted for 11 days with a different ritual on each. 

The Roman calendar followed a similar format with its new year occurring at the vernal equinox, having 10 months and 304 days in a year , according to History.com. The months of Januarius and Februarius were later added thank to to king Numa Pompilius. 

In 46 B.C., emperor Julius Caesar introduced a new Julian calendar which instituted January 1 as the start of the new year, taking the namesake of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. Roman celebrations for New Year's included exchanging gifts, giving offerings to Janus, decorating homes with laurel branches and attending parties. 

The date of New Year's changed for several years as Christian leaders in Europe moved the first of the year to December 25 and March 25, according to Britannica. When the Gregorian calendar was made in 1582 by the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year’s Day. 

However, many cultures and religions celebrate their New Year's on other days. For example, in the Jewish religious calendar, the new year is marked on Rosh Hashanah which occurs between September and October depending on the year. Chinese New Year , also called Lunar New Year, is a celebrated for a month usually beginning in late January or early February. 

A giant acorn, a big potato, bologna: Cities get creative with their New Year's Eve 'drops'

Your New Year's Eve guide: Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Ryan Seacrest and more!

New Year's celebrations, traditions explained

Modern New Year's celebrations often begin New Year's Eve on December 31. In the U.S., the tradition of the Times Square ball drop counts down to midnight, or the official start of the new year on January 1.

The first New Year's Eve ball drop took place in 1907 with the first incarnation made of iron and wood, measuring 5 feet in diameter and weighing 700 pounds, and was decorated with 100 light bulbs. The current ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs almost 12,000 pounds , according to the official Times Square website. 

Making New Year's resolutions has been a tradition for centuries. It  dates back to ancient Babylonians making promises to the gods in order to start the year off right. Today, people still make promises, but instead to themselves, generally pledging to quit habits, get in shape or learn a new skill. 

Other ways people ring in the New Year include partying with loved ones, watching fireworks, toasting champagne, singing songs like "Auld Lang Syne"  or sharing a New Year's kiss at midnight. 

'Auld Lang Syne' : Explaining the New Year's Eve song

Why do we kiss on New Year's Eve? The reasons behind the romantic moment

10 Essays To Read Again in 2023

A list of our staff’s favorite essays from the past year.

Hello, New Lines readers,

We hope you’re enjoying a much-needed holiday break. We have a lot in store for 2023, particularly the launch of our print edition. In the meantime, as has become tradition, we wanted to share with you a list of our staff’s favorite essays from the past year. We hope you’ll find something of interest in this eclectic collection of stories.

Wishing you a Happy New Year from the New Lines team!

The Day My Wartime Cat Went Missing, by Rasha Elass

Riada asimovic akyol, strategic initiatives editor.

Many of my close friends tell me that, despite my irrational fear of cats, I’d be a perfect “cat person,” once I dared to confront those fears. I’ve acknowledged the joy and glow in their eyes, when my friends speak of their pets. I’ve observed such bonds curiously and in a more mindful way in the last few years, especially after becoming a mother, responsible for someone else’s life. 

The essay “The Day My Wartime Cat Went Missing” was published early in 2022, and was an instant classic. Our Editorial Director, Rasha Elass, writes masterfully about her adventures with adopted cats Pumpkin and Gremlin, whom she first met in Abu Dhabi. She beautifully depicts how they survived a tough war, and the different challenges they’ve been through in the Middle East and the United States. She shares her genuine love and nurturing care, as well as her dread at the possibility of losing them, whether in peacetime or war. 

The essay is a gorgeous reminder of the bonds that matter. Check it out for yourself.

How I Survived a Syrian Gulag, by Jaber Baker

Rasha al aqeedi, middle east deputy editor.

The terms “dictatorship,” “fascism,” “authoritarianism” and “totalitarianism” are thrown around today to describe various ruling systems in the world to such an extent that they have lost their actual meaning. Inconveniences such as losing access to a social media platform are compared to the conditions that led to the Holocaust, while wearing a pandemic-imposed mask is akin to living in a gulag. 

The Syrian author Jaber Baker takes us on a dark journey through his time in an actual gulag run by Bashar al-Assad’s Baath Party. For me personally, the essay is a masterclass in storytelling and struck more chords and triggered more memories of my childhood and adolescence in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq than I wish it had. The true experiences and traumas of dictatorship face the threat of being drowned out by the noises of victimhood culture. While no one has a monopoly on trauma, Syrians have the right to tell the stories of their torture and suffering. It is a reminder that not all injustices are created equal. 

The Last of the Bougainvillea Years, by Zeina Hashem Beck

Erin clare brown, north africa editor.

When faced with an impending move to Paris from Dubai in search of more stability for her family, poet Zeina Hashem Beck is suddenly filled with the pangs of loss — not for the Emirates, where she’d lived since 2006, but for her home in Lebanon. She explores this abstract sense of displacement and longing in her gorgeously crafted essay, written in a pitch-perfect prose that carries the music of poetry through her attempts to sort her belongings, prepare her children, and reassure herself that the displacement is the right call. Through it all Hashem Beck mourns the impending loss of her bougainvillea vines, whose clouds of pink blossoms and wicked thorns come to symbolize in turns her beloved hometown, her Mediterranean identity and in ways, the author herself. 

It’s a beautiful meditation on loss and longing, displacement and belonging that reminds us that when we are the right amount of thirsty, we blossom.

What Ukraine Means for Lithuanians Haunted by Soviet Past, by Inga Rudzinskaite-Colman

Amie ferris-rotman, global news editor.

When reading this essay, one feels that an entire generation of Eastern Europeans is speaking, in a single, defiant voice, suddenly with renewed urgency. The globe is so focused on Russia’s horrific assault on Ukraine, and the grim atrocities the Russian military commits practically every day, that we often forget, or perhaps do not realize, the impact the war has on Moscow’s previous victims. In this essay, the analyst Inga Rudzinskaite-Colman, who was born and raised in Vilnius, dives into complicated issues like collective trauma and self-identity. She tells us, in poignant detail, how she and her fellow countrymen and women strived for decades to disassociate themselves from Russia and their Soviet past. But belonging to the Western “club” has also meant uncomfortable compromises, like being “Russiasplained” to. Read this beautifully written essay to peer into the new realities facing the Baltics, Poland and other countries once in Russia’s orbit, who are now finding themselves united by survival. 

Rushdie Is India’s Forgotten Child of Midnight, by Pratik Kanjilal

Surbhi gupta, south asia editor.

Earlier this year, when Salman Rushdie was attacked before his talk in western New York, his supposed safe haven, much of the discussion in the media and reports in the news cycle focused on the politics of that infamous fatwa by the Ayatollah Khomeini calling for the writer’s death and its repercussions on the Muslim world. Yet, despite the fact Rushdie has roots in India and the subcontinent has been a constant source of inspiration for his writing, I could find no essay that delved into this relationship and work with South Asia — before this one.

While many were focused on the backlash against Rushdie’s novel, “The Satanic Verses,” the South Asian connection in the story was being overlooked. The first protests against the book happened not in Iran but in Pakistan, and this prompted the Indian government to ban its import from the U.K. It was, indeed, in a review in an Indian magazine that the Ayatollah is said to have first learned of the book. That’s why I loved this essay by Pratik Kanjilal, a veteran journalist and books editor in India, who has followed Rushdie’s journey closely through the years and was the best person to write it. He packs a lot into this essay: He writes about Rushdie, critiques his work, discusses what his Booker Prize wins meant for English writing in India, his relationship with India and Pakistan, and the irony of the attack, coinciding as it did with the 75th Independence Day celebrations in India. 

Faith and Vengeance: the Islamic State’s War in Afghanistan, by Fazelminallah Qazizai and Chris Sands

Tam hussein, associate editor.

This piece tells the story of the rise of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), and its fall and rebirth, told through the character of Abu Omar Khorasani, “the most feared and despised prisoner in Directorate 40.” It takes you on a journey from the Afghan Jihad in the 1980s all the way to the present. I love deep dives and investigations. This particular piece is very original and will no doubt populate the citations of many books on the topic for years to come. To produce an essay of such quality requires a supportive editorial team and journalists willing to follow the story all the way. For me, that is embodied in this investigation. When I read it, I can almost see the legwork and local knowledge put in by Fazelminallah Qazizai. I see the crisp writing style of Qazizai’s co-author Chris Sands, the beautiful artwork of Joanna Andreasson and the background work that the editorial team puts in months before publication. And so it’s not just an enjoyable and interesting read, it’s what our managing editor Ola Salem says the best essays are — a work of art.

When Uganda Expelled Its Asian Population in 1972, Britain Tried to Exclude Them, by Saima Nasar

Kwangu liwewe, africa editor.

When I read this essay, it reminded me of the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Danger of a Single Story. For five decades, the narrative about the expulsion of Uganda’s Asians has been that they went to Britain, were welcomed there and lived as refugees, then successfully assimilated into society and have contributed to all spheres of British life.

This essay puts the spotlight on how the narrative changed from unwanted Asian immigrants to one of a humanitarian response, when the plight of Asians became international news and Britain feared a backlash. The writer Saima Nasar lifts the lid on this narrative and tells the story of how, in actual fact, the Asians were British passport holders and were initially not welcome in Britain.

Nasar writes, “While Ugandan Asians have no doubt shaped Britain’s economic, political and socio-cultural landscapes, it is important to avoid celebratory narratives that overlook histories of struggle and discrimination.” 

It is an important essay that challenges society to re-examine historical narratives.

A Film Critic Reflects on the Artistic Journeys and Vision of the Late French Director Jean-Luc Godard, by Jonathan Rosenbaum

Danny postel, politics editor.

When I saw the news on Sept. 13 that the legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard had died, I immediately called Jonathan Rosenbaum, the longtime film critic for my local alt-weekly newspaper, the Chicago Reader, and the author of multiple books on world cinema. Rosenbaum had written extensively about Godard’s films over the years and had interviewed the grand poobah of French cinema’s New Wave movement on more than one occasion. I was thrilled that Rosenbaum agreed to write for us, despite being unfamiliar with New Lines (he later informed me that Sight and Sound, the magazine of the British Film Institute, also asked him to write something on Godard but we got to him first). 

In the essay, he discusses several of Godard’s films — “Breathless” (1960), “Alphaville” (1965), “Tout Va Bien” (1972), “Every Man for Himself” (1980), “Passion” (1982), “Nouvelle Vague” (1990) and “Histoire(s) du Cinéma,” an eight-part experimental video series made between 1988 and 1998 — but it’s far from a survey of the late director’s filmography. Instead, it’s a deeply personal meditation on his poetic vision and colossal global influence, and on the relationship between art and commercial success and failure. “Marketplace value has little or nothing to do with the love of art,” Rosenbaum writes, and “there’s no way of gauging the latter via the former, especially insofar as the intensity of the love and the qualities of the audience experiencing and expressing it aren’t even remotely quantifiable.” Godard once said to Rosenbaum: “I like to think of myself as an airplane, not an airport.” Reflecting on that quip, Rosenbaum writes that “vehicles that take us places, and the destinations of those who make them don’t have to be the same as the destinations of those who climb into those vehicles.”

Between Two Rivers, Between Two Myths, by Sophus Helle

Lydia wilson, culture editor.

I wanted to choose a history essay for two reasons: It’s one of the genres that we do particularly well and, second, this type of long-form history is not given much space in other outlets. Our history essays are always deep-dive explorations of stories from the past from experts on the subject, showing us something new about the world, whether a new perspective on a familiar topic or a previously hidden gem. 

“Between Two Rivers,” by the Mesopotamian scholar Sophus Helle, exemplifies what we’re trying to do. It is based on deep expertise, exploring the identities of societies going back millennia in the territory now called Iraq. Helle looks at the labels these cultures gave themselves and were given by later invaders or historians. But it does not only tell the story of the historical material. Crucially, it explains why these facts, controversies and debates about old identities are relevant today, and the obfuscation of the past realities on the ground in Iraq does not serve its present inhabitants. History matters, and this essay brings that home. 

An Exile Returns to Find Syria Changed Forever, by Nizar Kinaan

Faisal al yafai, international editor.

It’s been a year of war — as too many of the past few years have been — this time dominated in Europe by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the magazine, we’ve certainly published a lot about the Ukraine war, but we’ve also kept a close eye on other conflicts.

This essay by Nizar Kinaan, a pseudonym for obvious reasons, is one of those, revisiting the still-simmering Syrian conflict. The author returned to the coastal city of Latakia after years away and found a city, and country, drastically changed by the war. We called the essay “No Country for Young Men” because of the profound changes in gender roles wrought by the war.

“‘Where are the young men?’ I asked my friends in the cafe bar we were drinking in. ‘They are dead, in the army or they left like I should have done.’”

“The taboos against women working in certain specific jobs have definitely been broken,” wrote Kinaan, quoting a Syrian woman who said, “I am not saying all taboos have been completely shattered … but things have definitely shifted. Now women can work in most jobs, stay out late, and be a little bit more independent.”

Many will applaud that change, but the reasons that brought it about have destabilized the entire society. This is what makes Kinaan’s encounter with Latakia so interesting; he doesn’t judge what has happened by any moral standard except that of Syria itself. He doesn’t applaud changes in isolation without understanding what it took to make them change.

Sign up to our mailing list to receive our stories in your inbox .

Why the Indian Election Results Present Modi With a Defeat Within a Win

How exiles in argentina shaped france’s resistance to nazi occupation, everest’s 100-year mystery — with wade davis, the novels that charted jewish hardship, survival and assimilation in america, the rise of a distinctly african speculative fiction, remembering sergei parajanov, the bard of the caucasus, sign up to our newsletter.

Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Top 25 Essay Topics for 2024

Wow, 2023, was another challenging year for many parts of the world, but let’s all put our optimistic goggles on for 2024 and explore some great topics to write about for an essay sure to engage and inspire your students.

Writing an essay can be a daunting task for both teachers and students in terms of creating and crafting a high-quality essay,  and finally editing and grading them.

It seems as though we may have overlooked one of the toughest steps in writing an essay and that is actually selecting appropriate interesting essay topics for your students.

Thankfully we have compiled a list of 25 fun essay topics for 2024 that might just make that process a little easier.  Enjoy.  And remember to add any other great suggestions in the comment section below.

If you are still struggling with the essay writing process and need further guidance be sure to check out our definitive guide to writing a great essay. 

FREE interesting essay topics FOR STUDENTS

FOR STUDENTS NEEDING A VISUAL PROMPT TO WRITE A GREAT ESSAY

ESSAY TOPICS YOUR STUDENTS WILL LOVE TO WRITE ABOUT

• Zoos are sometimes seen as necessary but not poor alternatives to a natural environment. Discuss some of the arguments for and/or against keeping animals in zoos.
• Imagine that your teacher wants to teach a new subject for the next few weeks. Your teacher will take suggestions, and then let the students vote on the new subject. What subject should your class choose? Write an essay to support your choice and to persuade the other students to vote for your choice.
• Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
• Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
• Since the invention of nuclear weapons we have had a long period of GLOBAL peace and stability. Are nuclear weapons global peacemakers or killing devices?
• Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
• Is the death penalty effective?
• To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
• What age is appropriate for dating?
• Pretend you woke up one day and there were no rules. People could suddenly do whatever they wanted! Explain what the world would be like. Use your imagination!
• Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?
• Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools?
• Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations?
• Should money be spent on space exploration?
• Is fashion important?
• Are we too dependent on computers?
• If you had the opportunity to bring any person — past or present, fictional or nonfictional — to a place that is special to you (your hometown or country, a favorite location, etc.), who would you bring and why? Tell us what you would share with that person
• Most high level jobs are done by men. Should the government encourage a certain percentage of these jobs to be reserved for women?
• Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
• In your opinion what factors contribute to a good movie?
• The destruction of the world’s forests is inevitable as our need for land and food grows. Do you agree?
• Many parents give their children certain chores or tasks to do at home. Should children have to do chores or tasks at home? Be sure to explain why you think it is a good idea or a bad idea. Include examples to support your reasons.
• Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
• Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
• Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES ABOUT ESSAY WRITING

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay

Top 5 Essay Writing Tips

Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

How to Write Excellent Expository Essays

How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

The new year means new beginnings — and new resolutions. Whether your students hope to become stronger readers or aim to be more compassionate toward one another, the new year is the perfect time to help them reflect upon what they need to do to achieve their goals.

These 31 new year writing prompts will inspire your students to reflect on the past year, set realistic goals and resolutions, and look ahead to a bright future to make 2024 even more successful!

1. What are your resolutions for this new year?

2. Why is it important to make new year’s resolutions?

3. What was the best thing that happened to you this past year?

4. What are you most looking forward to this new year?

5. This year will be a year of…

6. In what ways were your kind to your friends, family, and teachers this past year?

7. What can you do this new year to be a good friend?

8. What can you do this new year to show gratitude for your friends, family, and teachers?

9. This new year, I’m grateful for…

10. This new year, I can’t wait to…

11. What new adventures would you like to go on this year?

12. Can you describe your most memorable new year?

13. Why is the new year important to you?

14. Have you made a new year’s resolution before? What was it?

15. Does your family have any new year’s traditions? What are they?

16.  What can you do to make this new year even more special than last?

17.  Before this year ends, I will…

18.  The best book I read last year was ________ because…

19.  The book I’m most looking forward to reading this year is ________ because…

20.  This new year, I can’t wait to learn about…

21.  This new year, I hope I’m able to…

22.  What will you need to do to achieve your goals and keep your resolutions in the new year?

23.  What can we do as a class this new year to be more kind to one another?

24.  How can your classmates and teachers help you achieve your goals and resolutions?

25.  How can you help your classmates and teachers achieve their goals and resolutions?

26.  In what ways can you practice empathy this year?

27.  Describe a time when you helped a classmate or teacher. How did you feel afterward?

28. What was the most fun part of the year in class for you?

29. What are you most excited to do in class next year?

30. What can you do next year to be helpful at home and at school?

31. What was the most interesting thing you’ve learned this year?

Combining daily writing exercises with extended class or small-group discussion will help your students set realistic, yet meaningful, goals to make the new year even more successful than the last. By encouraging your students to really reflect on the new year and what it means to make and keep resolutions, they’ll be prepared to overcome any challenge they may encounter along the way — and help their friends and classmates do the same!

Shop workbooks that encourage writing skills below. You can find all books and activities — including writing workbooks and other writing resources — at  The Teacher Store .

Want more great content? Click  here  to subscribe to our Teacher Newsletter and get teaching ideas delivered right to your inbox. 

Leadership. Motivation. Extraordinary.

Improve your motivation skills. Subscribe to 21 Breakthrough Motivation Secrets.

200 New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Career, Work, and Personal Growth

A New Year’s Resolution is a Filipino tradition. Or at least, that’s how Filipino students deemed it. Every January of each year, on the first day of class, students from elementary, high school, and college declare their New Year’s resolutions.

When I was in high school, I wrote my New Year’s Resolution essays (as it was often required) during Christmas breaks. It is still cool to write resolutions these days for fun.

I do Impact Goals, Quarterly Goals, and Monthly Projects, which are better than most New Year’s Resolutions. I will share these with you later if you are interested. An excellent support to your New Year’s resolutions is  3 Words . Find out how to do it.

I am publishing this three days before the New Year. So you will have plenty of time to write your New Year’s Resolution or do the alternatives.

New Year’s Resolution Ideas

Typically, people get a pen and a piece of paper to write one, two, three, or even ten New Year’s resolutions. They write down whatever comes to mind.

A few get post-it notes and Sharpie pens. They write on each note one resolution. They may come up with dozens. Then, they pick the top ten they want to do next year.

I separate my New Year’s resolutions for family and work.

I use a mind map when I make resolutions. It is creative. I write the year, then encircle it. I think of three words. For work, my three words for 2023 are transformation, experience, and dollars. Then, I will generate more ideas from each word.

Another exercise that I do, which I can do any month of the year, is Stop, Continue, and Start.

Most people consider the brainstorming session as the only step to writing a resolution. This is why most of the resolutions don’t have staying power. Later, I will show you ways to make your resolutions compelling.

If you are looking for New Year’s Resolution ideas, these will help you. Open each accordion pane to find resolutions that may inspire you

More than half of those who do New Year’s Resolution pay attention to physical well-being. Probably, because our physical health is most obvious among the many things that need change.

You will find below more than 50 ideas to consider for your resolutions.

Physical Health

• Lose weight.
• Increase 10 pounds.
• Exercise daily.
• Build muscles.
• Go to the gym each week.
• Get 20 drops of Cell Mineral Drop each day.
• Do brisk walking each morning.
• Eat nutritious food.
• Less sugar, no coffee, more tea.
• Eat fruits and vegetables.
• Start a vegan diet.
• Cook my own meals.
• Eat on time.
• Eat fresh foods, less fast foods.
• Plant fruits and vegetables.
• Eat when I am hungry.
• Drink milk each day.
• Drink 8 glasses of water.
• Take care of teeth.
• Stop smoking. It is now or never.
• Cut back on alcohol.
• Sleep eight hours a day.
• Sleep before 10 in the evening.
• Do power naps.
• Wake up before 5 in the morning.
• Sit less, move more.
• Do jumping jacks each morning.
• Cut grass every day.
• Wash the dishes at once.
• Do bungee jumping.
• Learn scuba diving.
• Ride a bike to work.
• Go mountain hiking each month.
• Train for a marathon.
• Join a bike club.
• Take dancing lessons.
• Join a Zumba class.
• Study martial arts.
• Swim for 30 minutes each week.
• Do ten push-ups after I wake up.
• Limit screen time. Stop Facebook and do less Netflix.
• Travel more often.
• Walk when the destination is less than 1 kilometer.
• Take monthly vacations.
• Do a three-month vacation.
• Start a no-phone zone and time.

Financial Wellness

Financial well-being is an ever-green aspiration. Though people are not comfortable sharing their money resolutions, it is one that they think about most of the time.

Here are some examples to help you brainstorm your money resolutions for the next year.

• Reduce expenses.
• Save more money.
• Pay all my debts.
• Create a new stream of income .
• Start a personal budget.
• Pay my credit card on time.
• Stop using my credit card.
• Not open any more credit cards.
• Find a financial advisor.
• Get an insurance plan.
• Join a paluwagan.
• Invest in the stock market.
• Take financial literacy course.
• Start a side hustle.
• Start a new business.
• Do online courses and webinars.
• Invest in Modified Pag-ibig II (MP2) Savings.
• Market other people’s products.
• Earn 10 million.
• Cook meals and eat less in restaurants to save money.

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual growth is something worth considering in crafting New Year’s Resolutions. It does not matter how old you are; we continue learning for life.

I read three to ten books each month. Frankly, I don’t need to remember everything I read. But when I need to write something or answer questions, I find them useful. Answers magically appear.

The last book I read is Building the Second Brain by Tiago Forte. It helps me organize the information I need. When I need to develop modules on leadership training, I can easily access ideas, tools, and insights that are already mine.

May the following inspire you to grow intellectually.

• Learn how to learn.
• Learn how to make quality decisions.
• Learn how to think creatively.
• Do action research.
• Read personal development books.
• Apply lateral thinking in problem-solving.
• Listen to podcasts instead of watching TV.
• Study mind mapping.
• Use gamestorming in solving problems.
• Learn five new words each day.
• Practice time management skills.
• Learn from mistakes.
• Read leadership books.
• Watch documentaries.
• Learn a new language.
• Master some coding skills.
• Study innovation tools.
• Study strategic planning.
• Brainstorm new products each day.
• Use Design Thinking tools.
• Learn how to tell stories.
• Keep a discovery journal.
• Master memory techniques.
• Practice sketchnoting.
• Read history books.
• Study science books.
• Do DIY projects.

Spiritual Wellness

Filipinos are spiritual, if not very religious, people. We want to stay centered and grounded. But there are times we find ourselves losing control. And we look back and find ourselves away from what we used to do every Sunday.

Consider your spiritual well-being too.

May the following resolutions inspire you to examine your spiritual growth.

• Pray every morning.
• Go to church on Sundays.
• Meditate in the evening.
• Attend a religion class.
• Start a gratitude journal.
• Join a prayer group.
• Do evangelistic work.
• Use a spiritual journal.
• Read the Bible daily.
• Attend a spiritual retreat.
• Do a weekly “Commune with God”.
• Do gardening.
• Practice mindfulness.
• Pay forward.
• Spend time in nature.
• Practice Tai Chi.
• Travel as much as possible.
• Find the positive in things.

Career Development

Consider career development in your New Year’s resolutions. Think of ways to find the best vehicle that will help you climb the ladder of success. 

Depending on where you are today, you may use some of these ideas to advance your career.

• Build a personal brand.
• Enroll in a career development course.
• Read about career leap.
• Shift career.
• Start a business.
• Write a book.
• Start a podcast.
• Publish a vlog.
• Do a radio program.
• Get certified.
• Do keynote speaking.
• Join professional associations.
• Start a professional association.
• Enroll in post-graduate courses.
• Learn marketing.
• Enroll in a public speaking course.
• Enroll in an image-building course.
• Get a driver’s license.
• Do volunteer work.
• Learn a new skill.
• Learn social dancing.
• Do more networking.
• Join a Rotary club.
• Join a Toastmasters club .
• Join a theater group.
• Interview VIPs.
• Hold an event for my industry.

There are many things that we can do about work. People who are more intentional about how to improve work are more likely to succeed. A New Year’s Resolution is like a seed that will grow if you will tend to it. 

Here are examples of New Year’s Resolution ideas that may inspire you to work better in 2023.

• Develop my leadership skills.
• Improve my ability to delegate.
• Study how to manage people.
• Enroll for an MBA Degree.
• Develop communication skills.
• Benchmark with other leaders.
• Improve creative thinking skills.
• Improve decision-making skills.
• Stop procrastinating.
• Find ways to improve the work process.
• Build business acumen.
• Build positive relationships.
• Work to get a promotion.
• Work on a “Future Resume”.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• Improve work-life balance.
• Build my personal brand.
• Give credit where credit is due.
• Expand my network.
• Use a second brain to store my knowledge.
• Quit complaining.
• Stay out of office politics.
• Work on my professional development plan.
• Set personal goals.
• Embark on personal ventures.
• Work on time management.
• Become a public speaker.
• Write a book about my profession.
• Start a podcast to serve my industry.
• Improve business writing skills.
• Improve presentation skills.
• Create new products for clients.
• Improve services for clients.
• Be more understanding.

What is a New Year’s Resolution?

A New Year’s Resolution is a declaration of what a person intends or resolves to do at the beginning of the year. Typically, people decide to stop doing undesirable traits or behaviors, continue doing good practices, and start working on personal goals or improving behaviors.

When you ask Filipinos, more than half will say they have New Year’s Resolution. About 1/3 say that they have written resolutions. You will find 100 examples of New Year’s Resolutions below.

Nearly half of those who don’t make New Year’s Resolution say it does not work.

Importance of New Year’s Resolution

Most people think that they need to do more these past years. The Covid-19 pandemic, for two years, made us anxious about the future. I remember that the New Year of 2021 was the first time most people stayed home. In January 2022, we recorded the highest number of Covid-19 infections.

But 2023 promises a better year. And once again, people talk about New Year’s Resolutions. And that’s good news.

There are mixed opinions as to the importance of resolutions. And I understand why.

Some people failed to continue what they started. Or they missed many opportunities of doing what they believed they should have done many New Year’s resolutions ago.

In 1996, Carlo declared that he would enroll again to finish his Master of Arts in Teaching. It was always a part of his New Year’s Resolutions. This year, he decided that pursuing it was of no use. The 30 units he earned will no longer be credited. He procrastinated. And procrastination sealed his fate, he believed.

A friend made a New Year’s Resolution to start jogging five years ago. So on January 4 last year, she started jogging around our neighborhood. She continued doing it for 15 more days. Then, she decided to pause for a week because of an important assignment. The one week became months. Yesterday, she said that she’d start again.

Thirty years ago, I “resolved” to write a book. I began with full enthusiasm, then eventually stopped. In Filipino, we call this habit Ningas Kugon. However, a friend commissioned me two years ago to write a book. I wrote that book in 16 days. I am confident I can write at least one book in 2023.

All New Year’s resolutions are aspirations for personal growth and development. And though you don’t have to wait for January 1 to start thinking about choosing the right things to do, a New Year’s resolution, as a tradition, reminds us about second chances, and the simple act of declaring our intentions helps us think deeply about the future.

Panata sa Bagong Taon

For Filipinos, a new year is a promise of a new life. It is more than just a day after December 31.

It is a fresh start.

In Filipino, New Year’s Resolution means panata sa bagong taon. It is not just an aspiration or a wish. It is a vow.

It is a fresh start. Whatever happened last year and the years before that have no hold on our future. We can choose to live the life we want.

Most New Year’s Resolutions aren’t fulfilled because of misunderstandings. But we will start behaving differently when we fully embrace that a new year is a fresh start and a resolution is a vow.

Why Some New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work

I have already given you three reasons why New Resolutions don’t work. And I have also given you an idea of why it works. So allow me to expound and expand.

Procrastination

The lack of willpower makes us delay. Procrastination is a silent killer. It murders our dreams without our notice.

People think that there is always tomorrow. We only have today; tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

If something is significant, it must be done today.

A resolution is a vow; it is not just a wish. A wish is something that may happen someday. A vow is your business today.

Ningas Kugon

Have you noticed that lifetime gym memberships are sold for a 50 percent discount during December and January? That’s because many people overestimate themselves.

A lifetime gym membership often gets used in three months.

If you are in Quezon Memorial Circle in the early mornings, you will see thousands of joggers. Some of them start at 5 am. But, during the first six weeks of the year, you’ll notice that the numbers are five times more than usual.

Ningas kugon is a lot better than procrastination. Starting something is already tricky. But success is measured by how we finished, not by how we started our games.

Ningas Kugon is often the result of a lack of commitment, discipline, and momentum.

Lack of Commitment

A committed person dedicates his time to a cause that truly matters to him. Those who cannot commit fail again and again.

A committed person displays patience, persistence, and perseverance. You can only be that person when you believe you can make things happen. Without that belief, there is no urgency. Without that belief, you will allow your fear to delay or stop you as soon as you face your first challenge.

Consider that a resolution is a vow to your future self.

Lack of Discipline

I see that even the most motivated people need to honor their resolutions. They can start, but they need to learn how to finish.

They work on many things but only sometimes on the most important thing.

A person with discipline does what they value most every day. They don’t allow their circumstances to dictate their actions.

New Year’s resolutions are good for us. They are part of the solution. Unfortunately, they don’t work when people don’t have the discipline to execute them.

Lack of Momentum

People need more momentum to finish what they start. There needs to be more than just doing the first step to walking a thousand miles. You need to follow the first with another step, and you need to keep moving until you reach a thousand miles.

Followthrough makes a breakthrough.

To create momentum, you need focus, consistency, and action.

By telling you why resolutions often do not work, can you tell how to make them work?

People often write these New Year’s Resolution ideas. As I have mentioned, I used different methods to come up with my list, and brainstorming is just the first stage. If you will only copy any of these resolutions, it is more likely that you’ll do a ningas kugon.

Resolutions that get done are clear and compelling.

I will show you different ways to write clear and compelling New Year’s Resolutions.

A Journey to Personal Transformation

Overachievement: 3 Steps to Help Others Achieve Their Goals Faster

Start with Your Big Goals

19 Key Benefits of Leadership Training

6 Important Aspects of Personal Development

Personal Development Plan: The 4DX Framework (2024)

My 3 Words for 2023

Daig ng Maagap ang Masipag: Be A Proactive Hard Worker

These are the frequently asked questions that seldom get answers. If you want to get a better appreciation of these answers, you can read the whole article (if you have not yet done that).

Becoming a good person, working harder, and being more health conscious are Filipinos’ top 3 New Year’s resolutions. Becoming a good person is the most common topic in students’ New Year’s Resolution Essays. Working harder is our solution to having a good life. And being more health conscious may mean eating fruits and vegetables, losing weight, or gaining weight.

New Year’s Resolutions fail because of procrastination, ningas kugon, lack of clarity, lack of commitment, lack of discipline, and lack of momentum. Unfortunately, these are the same reasons my many goals fail too. Declaring what you resolve to stop, start, and continue doing is not enough; you need to follow through. A resolution, by definition, is a vow to do what you want to do no matter what.

The Tagalog for New Year’s Resolution is Panata sa Bagong Taon. A panata is a vow. For Filipinos, a new year celebration represents a fresh start. We vow to work harder to enjoy abundant lives.

Many people have changed their lives because they stick to their New Year’s resolutions. They kept their eyes on their aspirations and stuck to them. Though most who made New Year’s Resolutions stop working on them after six weeks, the problem is not in the resolutions but in the resolution of the person to make them happen. The intention to make change happen is the first step, which is a significant step to making change happen.

New Year’s Resolution Essay (Example)

As I have said, when I was in school, we were required to write our New Year’s Resolution essays in 200 words. I typically write more than that.

One way to write an essay is by using CONTINUE, STOP, and START. It is a very simple format that you anyone can follow.

The Year 2023 is a promise of a fresh start and bouncing forward. The last two years have been difficult because I could not go out. I was afraid, physically and psychologically.

The pandemic scare is not yet over. New variants of the virus appear. But for most of us vaccinated, there is confidence that we can finally fight the unknown.

There are things I know that I can change. And there are things that I must continue doing. My New Year’s Resolution is a manifesto, a declaration of what I want to continue, stop, and start doing in 2023.

CONTINUE I will continue to improve my skills in public speaking. Though I have been speaking for many years and earning money from it, there are many things that I need to learn. Public speaking turned my life around. And though there are many other opportunities to grow my business, I will continue speaking to inspire people and grow my business.

STOP I will stop spending time on Facebook, debating political issues with strangers, diehard supporters, and trolls. As much as I wanted to educate people and share with them what I know as a student of politics, I was doing it wrong.

Debating with strangers will not help. Adding my voice to a thousand who do not want to listen to each other won’t add value. I am not a follower. I am not a watcher.

I am a leader. And my platform is on the stage. I speak to lead, not just to add my voice.

I will expand my network to bring my message to many people. I will speak in schools to share my message with students and educators. I will talk at associations, conferences, and in company assemblies.

I will share a message of hope in my team-building programs, leadership training, and public seminars.

I will start speaking to change the world.

Mission Possible 2023

Your mission is to write your own New Year’s Resolution. Keep in mind that it is not just a wish. It is a panata , a vow that you have to your future self.

I recommend that you make your resolution visual. Take it seriously. Convert it into a personal development plan. Execute it. Then, teach others how to do it well.

About The Author

Jef Menguin

Unlock strategic success..

Discover simple ways to achieve what you want—get experiences crafted for deep learning. They're desirable, effective, engaging, and profitable, paving the way for 10x success for you and your team.

Start typing and press enter to search

Essay on New Year

When we hear the word “New”, we ultimately get excited, whether it is new clothes, new books, new toys, or new games. No matter what is new, every new thing makes us feels good. As we have many things new, we do have a new year. After spending twelve months we get into a new year. New Year makes people feel good. Everyone waits for New Year for their respective purposes. Today, we will discuss New Year in detail.

Short and Long New Year Essay in English

Here, we are presenting short and long essays on New Year in English for students under word limits of 100 – 150 Words, 200 – 250 words, and 500 – 600 words. This topic is useful for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in English. As New Year is coming, these provided essays will help you to write effective essays, paragraphs, and speeches on New Year.

New Year Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) According to the Gregorian calendar, New Year is celebrated on 1 st January.

2) People burn fireworks, dance, sing, and organize other events to celebrate.

3) Many people go for picnics and throw parties.

4) New Year comes with new hopes, goals, promises, and dreams.

5) Malls, markets, showrooms, etc are decorated for New Year.

6) People start celebrating New Year on the night of 31 st December.

7) New Year gives us a new chance to be thankful and to forgive.

8) By saying goodbye to the old year, people wish the New Year all the best.

9) We can spend quality time with our friends and family on this day.

10) We should celebrate New Year as a new hope by forgetting past worries.

Short Essay on New Year (250-300 Words)

Introduction

We have twelve months in a year. Once these twelve years passed, we count it as one year and wait for the upcoming year. The arrival of the New Year makes people excited and they celebrate the day. According to the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar, New Year is celebrated on 1 st January.

New Year: A Fresh Beginning

New Year always comes with new experiences. At the start of each year, people have new hopes, wishes, expectations, and resolutions. These also give us a boost and make us excited for a new start in the New Year. People want to forget about bad things that happened or hurt them in the past year and start over. Everyone feels happy at the start of the New Year in their way.

New Year Celebration

It’s no surprise that people want to have happy parties with their loved ones to welcome the New Year. Many people also set goals for the coming year in the form of New Year’s resolutions. People can spread holiday cheer by giving gifts, having dinner parties, buying new clothes, or just wishing each other a happy New Year.

People dance, sing, and put on fun games while serving tasty food. They want to change things up and start over with more motivation in the coming year. Schools also have a lot of different kinds of events for the New Year.

All over the world, people celebrate New Year with a lot of pomp and joy. Also, they hope for the best in the future. Every year, we should greet the New Year with new energy and excitement so that our lives get even better.

Long Essay on New Year (500 Words)

New Year is a time to end the ongoing week-long Christmas celebration. The New Year comes after December. It is a time when winter is getting colder. Every restaurant and shopping mall has special discounts during New Year. All the markets, malls, and hotels are decorated beautifully. People of all ages get excited about it and celebrate it with great joy.

Significance of New Year

People of all ages and backgrounds get together to welcome a year of good health and wealth. We always learn from the New Year to keep moving forward. This is the time of year to fix broken relationships and let go of past mistakes. The beginning of a new year is a good time to leave the past behind and do a fresh start.

People are excited to start new things in the New Year. New Year’s is a historic day that should remind us of an important day in our lives. We should now learn from the mistakes we made in the past year and make a new goal for the coming year.

How New Year is Celebrated?

People start celebrating the New Year on the night of December 31. There aren’t any fixed or uniform traditions for the New Year. People from different cultures tend to make up their ways to celebrate and have fun. Many people also plant and decorate New Year’s trees as a way to show their hopes and dreams for the next year.

On New Year, people send each other messages, poems, etc with good wishes for the coming year. Greetings, cards, and gifts are given and received. Everyone hopes that the New Year will be good for them. On the last night of the year, everyone has bonfires and barbecues. On this night, everyone gets together with friends and family to have fun.

New Year in India

In India, people celebrate the New Year at different times. But most people use the English calendar (Gregorian calendar), which says that the New Year starts on January 1. On the first day of the New Year, people of all religions who live in India make different plans. People also believe that if the first day of the New Year goes well and makes them happy, the rest of the year will also go well.

People in India celebrate the New Year by going to temples, doing puja paths, and having parties with their closest friends. Many people go on picnics to spend time with their families and have a good time. When the clock is about to hit 12, they start counting down and then wish each other a “happy new year”.

New Year is a happy event that people all over the world get excited about. It gives us a chance to stop doing things that make us sad. It also motivates us to do good in the upcoming years. Therefore, we should celebrate the New Year like every festival and maintain peace and harmony.

I hope the above provided essay on New Year will be helpful in understanding different aspects of this beautiful day. Also, wish you all a very Happy New Year!

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on New Year

Ans. In 2023, New Year will fall on Sunday.

Ans. Mesopotamia is where the first known New Year’s celebrations happened around 2000 B.C.

Ans. According to the Hindu calendar (Vikram Samvat), New Year falls on Chaitra month.

Ans. The first calendar was made by the Sumerians.

Ans. In Ethiopia, each year has 13 months.

Related Posts

Essay on digital india, cashless india essay, essay on child is father of the man, essay on causes, effects and prevention of corona virus, essay on dr. sarvepalli radhakrishnan, durga puja essay, essay on summer vacation, essay on my plans for summer vacation, essay on holiday.

Open your camera app, scan the QR code below to download our ELSA app

Home » English Learning » New Year’s Resolutions 2023: 7 ways to improve your English

New Year’s Resolutions 2023: 7 ways to improve your English

• January 3, 2023
• Dan Shepherd

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution, only to give up on it soon afterwards? 

If you answered yes, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. According to Forbes, up to 80% of people fail when they make promises at the beginning of the year.

But what if you learned about a powerful new way to make more permanent positive changes to your life? 

There’s a simple secret to success – it involves establishing habits. 

If you want to improve your English this year, you can do so by creating fun and easy study routines starting today! A routine will help you stay focused and motivated for the whole year. 

Let’s take a look at 7 ways to help you achieve your English goals in 2023.

1. Look back at last year

First, take time to think about all your achievements from the last 12 months—even the small ones. 

Research by Harvard Business school shows that people who celebrate small wins are more motivated to achieve bigger goals.

Maybe you watched a movie in English and understood some of it or learned some new words? Whatever it is, celebrating that progress will motivate your 2023 New Year’s resolutions. 

Set aside 15 minutes to make a list of all your achievements in English or any other area of your life.

Include everything, no matter how small. Then give yourself a pat on the back for each one. Go you!

2. Set a themed vocabulary goal

It can be tempting to set an ambitious goal like “Learn the 3,000 most common words in English” in 2023. 

But that’s 8.2 words per day with no days off. That’s way too many for your brain to really learn. 

Instead, for this one of your 2023 New Year’s resolutions, try a different approach. 

Write a list of 12 topics or themes you’re interested in. They could be your hobbies, related to your work or studies. For example, you might choose football, or words to do with business, or history. 

Then each month, search online for a list of words related to that topic and learn those. Also do lots of reading around those topics. Try to notice when you see your new vocabulary being used. 

Because you’re already interested in the topic, you’ll be more motivated to learn them. 

3. Try ELSA Speech Analyzer

If you’ve ever wanted someone to tell you exactly how well you’re doing with your English speaking, ELSA has just the tool. 

Our speech analyzer uses powerful AI to listen to you and provide instant feedback. It covers fluency, intonation, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. 

You can use it to practice presentations and prepare for any context you need English for.

Try combining ELSA speech analyzer with the idea in #2 and record yourself talking about one of your themes using the vocabulary you’ve learned. That way you can get instant feedback and find out where you can improve. 

4. Find a speaking partner

What better motivation for improving your English than using it to talk to other people? Look for a language exchange buddy and swap a language you speak for English.

Or, find another student at the same level as you and meet to speak English. Be strict with yourselves though! Set a timer and don’t break out of English until the alarm goes off.

For more targeted practice, we formed ELSA’s Speak Global Community on Facebook to help you with pronunciation but it’s the community aspect that makes it fun. 

You can use the group to post recordings of you speaking and get feedback and tips. With more than 40,000 members there’s always someone online somewhere in the world. 

5. Do things you enjoy—in English

Too many people associate learning a language with text books, exams and “serious” study. But, if one of your 2023 New Year’s resolutions is to make English more fun, you’re much more likely to learn and improve. 

So, how can you make learning fun?

Easy! Just do things you already enjoy, but do them in English. 

If you like reading, read some of your favorite books in English. Because you already know the story, it will be much easier to follow. Another option is to go for Graded Readers—books that are adapted to your English level.

If you like watching movies or TV shows, stream your favorites and set the language to English. If you like baking cakes , search for the recipes in English.

Whatever your hobbies are, there are probably a bunch of English-speaking YouTubers making videos about the activities you like. 

6. Plan rewards in advance

When you’re planning your New Year’s resolutions for 2023, of course you’ll set goals for the year. 

By the way, if you’re stuck and having trouble thinking of goals, search online or ask on social media for New Year resolution examples. Then all you need to do is copy the ones you like.

But it’s just as important to plan some rewards for when you meet those goals to motivate you to work toward the target. Language learning is a long-term goal and research shows that immediate, short-term rewards make people more likely to stick to their plans. 

The rewards don’t have to be big or expensive. Just choose things that are meaningful to you. So, that could be something as simple as “allowing” yourself to take a couple of hours off work to go for a walk. 

7. Download the ELSA app

Just like with exercise, it’s easier to stay focused and motivated with learning English if you have a personal trainer.

Meet ELSA, your AI coach . ELSA uses powerful artificial intelligence software to listen to your speech and help you improve your fluency and pronunciation. 

Our learners tell us that using the ELSA app for just 10 minutes a day for three months improved their pronunciation and confidence and helped them to speak more clearly. 

That’s probably because ELSA makes learning fun by keeping track of progress and building in rewards. 

Make 2023 your year for English

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions for 2023? Feel free to add to this list and come up with ideas of your own. Maybe you could share them below in the comments, on social media or with other students in your class. Making your goals public is a great way to stay motivated. Good luck!

4 Common Homophones in English.

How to use AI to improve your academic English

Academic English is the vocabulary and grammar that you use in educational settings – typically…

Mastering the Pronunciation of English Words Ending in -ed

[…] the Western New Year, the Lunar New Year doesn’t have the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions. Instead, the holiday is tied to traditions around bringing good luck for the year ahead. One of […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Vui lòng điền thông tin người mua hàng, chọn gói elsa pro muốn đăng ký, gói elsa pro trọn đời, gói elsa pro 1 năm, hình thức thanh toán.

• Vietcombank
• Số tài khoản: 0881000466690 Sao chép
• Ngân hàng: VIETCOMBANK
• Chi nhánh: Chi nhánh Hồ Chí Minh
• Người nhận: Công ty TNHH ELSA
• • Email đăng ký Elsa Speak
• • Số điện thoại của bạn
• • APPSPECIALVN
• Số tài khoản: 201768469 Sao chép
• Ngân hàng: ACB
• Chi nhánh: HCM hoặc sở giao dịch HCM

MÃ KÍCH HOẠT SẼ ĐƯỢC GỬI TRONG VÒNG 24H (KHÔNG TÍNH THỨ 7, CHỦ NHẬT VÀ LỄ). NẾU SAU 24H BẠN CHƯA NHẬN ĐƯỢC, RẤT CÓ THỂ ELSA CHƯA NHẬN ĐƯỢC CHUYỂN KHOẢN TỪ NGÂN HÀNG, BẠN CÓ THỂ GỬI HÓA ĐƠN VỀ [email protected] , ELSA SẼ ƯU TIÊN GỬI MÃ CHO BẠN TRONG THỜI GIAN SỚM NHẤT VÀ LÀM VIỆC VỚI NGÂN HÀNG SAU

Nhập địa chỉ giao hàng

Discover more from elsa speak - your 24/7 a.i english speaking companion.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• English Learning
• New – promotion
• Pro Memberships
• For Business

The Ivy Coach Daily

• College Admissions
• College Essays
• Early Decision / Early Action
• Extracurricular Activities
• Standardized Testing
• The Rankings

August 24, 2023

The Ultimate College Essay Guide: Prompts and Writing Tips

When we at Ivy Coach hear the term “the college essay,” we instinctively roll our eyes because there is not one college essay. While The Common Application includes a Personal Statement that is submitted to every Common App.-subscribing school, most of America’s highly selective universities feature additional essays on their unique supplements — and these essays are just as critical as the Personal Statement.

Since many schools change their supplemental admissions essay prompts from year to year, especially this year after the Supreme Court struck down Affirmative Action in late June of 2023 (the essays are, in some ways, a legal loophole allowing colleges to consider a student’s background when weighing their case for admission), it’s hard to find all of the new prompts for America’s top colleges in one place. Until now , that is.

2023-2024 College Essay Prompts

Below, applicants to the Class of 2028, you’ll find this year’s essay prompts for America’s highly selective universities — directly from each school’s admissions office:

How to Address the 2023-2024 College Essay Prompts

Below, you’ll find Ivy Coach’s tips on approaching the 2023-2024 supplemental essay prompts at America’s highly selective universities. If we haven’t yet posted our annual tips for a specific university, whose essays are hot off the presses, rest assured that it will be posted in short order.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance Tackling the 2023-2024 College Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to America’s highly selective universities by submitting compelling narratives, fill out Ivy Coach ’s consultation form , and we’ll respond by outlining our college counseling service offerings for seniors.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

Related Articles

Using ‘Impressive’ Vocabulary in College Essays

June 6, 2024

What Are the Consequences of College Essay Plagiarism?

May 16, 2024

Using A.I. to Write College Admission Essays

October 13, 2023

Word and Character Limits in College Essays

September 27, 2023

What English Teachers Get Wrong About Writing College Essays

Bragging in College Essays: Is It Ever Okay?

September 26, 2023

TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION

If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s college counseling,
fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.

Fill out our short form for a 20-minute consultation to learn about Ivy Coach’s services.

2023-2024 Common App essay prompts

• Facebook icon
• Twitter icon
• Linkedin icon

"Moving forward, we want to learn more about who is choosing certain prompts to see if there are any noteworthy differences among student populations." Meredith Lombardi, Director, Education and Training, Common App

News and updates

Common App welcomes four new members to the 2024-2025 Board of Directors

NC Central University sees exponential growth in applications

Common App’s Student Advisory Committee

EnglishGrammarSoft

New Year Resolution Essay 2023 | What is the new year’s resolution?

New year resolution essay is a short essay comprising of about 500 words. Do you know what is most important at the start of the new year?

If your are thinking about resolutions and goals, then you are right.

No doubt, the celebration, parties, and other activities are performed each year but setting resolutions is an important task that plays a vital role in your success.

New Year Resolution Essay

In this essay we are going to discuss about resolutions and their importance in our life.

What is the new year’s resolution?

Resolutions are the decisions that describe what you aim to do? The well organized people set their resolutions at the start of each years.

Resolutions show your purpose and aspiration to do something in the coming days. Setting the goals and achieving them is a fun activity that makes you happy and more confident.

How to set resolutions?

If you already had set resolutions last year, then it will be a straightforward task for you to set goals for this year. You will have to find only those goals that you could not achieve or the goals that were missing in your earlier list.

If you are going to set resolutions first time, then follow these steps.

• Determine goals that match your values.
• List out the things you want to learn this year.
• Identify the desires you want to accomplish.
• See some ideas or a list of ideas to set resolutions.
• Use planners, diaries, or any online application to note the resolutions.

You can find here list of 101 new year resolution ideas.

Some important resolutions

While setting resolutions you should determine priorities for the resolutions. Some resolutions are very important such as your health. Setting goals for daily exercise, healthy eating, and other health-related activities is very necessary.

Here are some important resolutions.

• Health goals
• Learning new skills/study resolutions
• Work/business resolutions
• Self-improvement
• Avoid procrastination
• Spend time with friends

Each category can be further expanded to sub-items as per your requirement. This video will show you 10 easy new year resolution ideas.

What will happen if I do not set resolutions?

Setting goals is a great way for improvement and to be successful in life. You will have a clear road map for your success in life. A person having no goals in life is like a person lost in the desert who does not know how to get out of there.

The resolution setting is necessary to avoid procrastination and carelessness. Do set resolutions to achieve something in life.

To sum up the discussion, resolutions must be set for the new year because these are helpful in achieving small targets. On achieving each target, you will find yourself happy and motivated.

Setting and achieving the goals will reduce your stress and increase your productivity. You should also analyze your performance by comparing the achievements and failures of the last two years. You will become self-accountable and more organized.

Further Reading

• Ultimate List of 101 New Year Resolution Ideas
• 19 New Year Resolution Ideas for Work & Employees
• New Year Resolution Worksheets
• New Year Resolution Printables (5 Free Templates)
• New Year Goal Setting Templates

Similar Posts

An Essay on Friendship in English

Friendship is a bond between two people. It is the sharing of everything, including thoughts, feelings, secrets, and hopes. Friendship can be with anyone. You…

Ultimate List of 101 New Year Resolution Ideas 2023

We have prepared a list of new year resolution ideas 2023 for you. You may have already adopted some of these points earlier. This list…

Essay on Money: How money is important in our life? (1000 Words)

Money is a wonderful invention of man. It is the power that helps people in earning and spending. Its importance can be understood by knowing…

Essay about Overcoming Obstacles in Life

Essay about Overcoming Obstacles: As you embark on your quest to overcome your obstacles, it is important to know what obstacles are. Obstacles are things…

500 Words Essay on Smoking is bad for health

Essay on Smoking is bad for health One of the most common problems that is killing people all over the world today is smoking. This…

Essay on Qualities of a Good Speaker (1500 Words)

A good speaker possess many qualities; as he can engage their audience. They should have an engaging speaking style and be able to speak clearly…

One Comment

Hey there, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, amazing blog!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

• Test Information FAQ
• Band Scores
• IELTS Candidate Success Tips
• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
• How to Prepare
• Useful Links & Resources
• Recommended Books
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2
• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics

100 Essay Questions

• On The Day Tips
• Top Results
• Advanced IELTS

New IELTS Essay Topics for 2023

Below are new IELTS essay topics in 2023 for Writing Task 2. I’ve also included useful ideas for each topic so that you can prepare for your test more quickly.

The majority of essay questions you will get in IELTS writing task 2 will be recycled topics from previous years. This is because there are so many common topics to choose from. However, occasionally new topics are introduced which reflect our changing world and new current issues in society. I haven’t put the precise wording for the essay questions as IELTS often rephrase their essay questions using different wording.

To prepare fully for your test, you must also prepare ALL common essay questions. Please click here: 100 IELTS Essay Questions

In addition, please note that all the topics below can also appear in the speaking test as well (part 3).

2023 New IELTS Essay Topics with Useful Ideas 

These essay questions could appear in both the IELTS Academic and GT writing task 2 test. Please remember, these are topics with ideas so that you can use them and adapt them to the question in the test because questions will usually be paraphrased and tasks will vary from test to test.

• Essay Topic: Poor concentration due to social media
• Short attention spans can affect us by not focusing on detail and poor performance at school or work
• Pop up ads are intrusive and interrupt our focus
• Temptation to chat on social media cuts into people’s concentration
• Social media encourages a shorter attention spam with short punchy media, such as on TikTok and Instagram
• Note: I’ll post a page with useful language for the topic of concentration in a few weeks as this topic is very common in the speaking test. 

2. Essay Topic: Children learn how to grow vegetables or farming

• Growing vegetables and caring for livestock is part of essential life skills for a healthy future
• As a species we should never forget our basic life skills for future survival
• Homegrown vegetables have more nutrition which children should learn about
• Vegetables can be grown on balconies as well as patios
• It allows children to reconnect to nature which is important in a world where they are so focused on gadgets
• This might encourage children to also take an interest in cooking, which is another essential life skill

3. Essay Topic: Taking risks in personal and professional life

• “to keep people on their toes” – idiom – keep people alert and prepared for potential problems (an idiom suitable for WT2)
• + Risks help us grow and learn new skills
• + Life is always changing and full of risks so people should embrace this aspect of life rather than try to avoid it
• – Risk can lead to negative consequences for individuals and families
• – It is better to be safe than sorry
• (note: this topic is very similar to the topic about “people who like change vs people who do not like change in their life” – that topic has been used for years by IELTS

4. Essay Topic: Streaming Films Online vs cinema

• Streaming online is cheaper and more accessible
• Streaming online is more enjoyable at home
• Streaming online offers a wider choice of options
• Cinema has better sound systems and bigger screens
• Cinema allows you to share emotional responses with an audience
• Cinema is a special experience for groups and couples

5.  Essay Topic: Children & active or passive leisure activities

• Active activities: sport, photography, hiking, camping
• These activities help children get fresh air, build physical health, learn new skills and engage in socialising with others face to face.
• Passive activities: reading, watching TV, social media
• These activities help children gain insight, can be educational or inspirational, help children develop creativity and technological skills.

6. Essay Topic: Men’s and women’s sports shown on TV and social media

• Traditionally most sports were male based so audiences are historically more attracted to male sports
• Women’s sports are just as exciting as male sports
• Women’s sports don’t often get the same amount of sponsoring from companies which impacts their sport
• Women’s football already has large followings on social media

7. Essay Topic: Truth in people’s communication is most important

• + Truth helps people develop honest, meaningful relationships
• + Truth develops open communication instead of repressed relationships
• + Without truth, there is only deceit which is toxic to relationships and erodes trust
• + Truth leads to trust
• – Social media encourages people to present a version of truth rather than the whole truth in order to impress others and create a particular impression – this can lead to misconception and lead others in the wrong direction
• – Sometimes the truth can be hurtful and needs to be approached step by step rather than directly
• – Some people are not ready to hear the whole truth
• – Truth may be something that needs time to emerge in cases such as abuse or where someone may be at risk
• – Truth sometimes has to be edited for children

8. Essay Topic: Sense of Community

• + People used to know their neighbours well and have a sense of community
• + Community meant that people took care of each other and looked out for one another
• +/- Doctors and teachers used to live in the community and become leaders of the community but now they often live in other areas and play little part in the community as a whole
• – Social media does not encourage relationships with neighbours but rather between people at a distance
• Note: a similar essay topic is one such as “adults should be required to do obligatory community service for a period of time”. That essay leans towards the benefits of community service vs time and obligation.

9. Essay topic: Graffiti on city walls

• + Freedom of expression
• + Some graffiti can be a work of art
• + It creates a colourful environment in a drab urban setting (drab = dreary, dull, lifeless)
• + Graffiti can stimulate creativity in others
• + Graffiti can be cultural which benefits society
• – It is often unregulated art
• – Graffiti could contain indecent or violent images or words
• – It could incite racism, hatred or political unrest

10. Vaping and Children (Predicted Topic)

• Vaping was originally introduced to help smokers quit, but now vaping is becoming popular amongst people who never previously smoked.
• Vaping can be addictive and their use has grown dramatically in the last five years, particularly in high school children
• E-cigarettes are less harmful than normal cigarettes, but they do still contain harmful ingredients such as nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals
• Vaping could lead to increase in asthma
• While this is only a predicted topic, it is something you can easily introduce into essays or into your speaking test as it is a current world issue

11. Organised Tours to Remote Places (Tourism)

• + Travellers get to see places that are largely untouched by the modern world
• + Remote places are steeped in culture and interest
• + Remote places can benefit from a boost in their economy
• – The culture in such places will be altered by so many tourists
• – Such tourism can have a negative impact on the local eco system
• With tourism comes the threat of pollution

12. Museums should focus on local works of art

• + Focusing on local art exhibits means local artists are supported and encouraged
• + Part of the task of a museum is conserving local history and culture so this should be their primary goal
• + This is a way of promoting local culture and history to tourists which could benefit the economy of the country
• – Many museums have international collections of art that people travel from around the world to see
• – The history of some countries is interconnected with other countries and other cultures – history is not always confined within a boarder
• – We now live in a global world and museums should reflect that

13. Values from family and parents play a greater role in future success than skills and knowledge from schools

• + from parents we can learn discipline and the meaning of hard work which are vital for future success
• + from family we can learn the value of determination and never giving up
• – schools provide the building blocks of knowledge upon which our future hangs, such as reading, writing, comprehension, maths etc
• – without education, most people would be reduced to menial work and success would be much harder to attain
• – some careers require specific education and training without which success would be impossible

Useful Links:

Click Below:

Writing Task 2 Model Essays and Tips

Writing Task 1: Model Answers and Tips

Note: IELTS do not use topics based on religion or politics because IELTS is non-political and non-religious . IELTS tests tend to aim for topics that reflect the world we live in by focusing on social issues and everyday issues that are more familiar and less emotional for people to write or speak about. So, please pay attention to which resources you use online when you prepare for your test and make sure you aren’t wasting your time preparing for topics that definitely won’t appear.

Free Subscribe to Receive New Lessons by Email

Enter your email address below.

Email Address

Hi, Liz I am so glad to tell you I have got 6.5 in writing even though it’s not a high score…

about the writing , i’d like to share some contents below.

writing 1 it is a line graph talking about air pollutants in the UK from 1995 to 2005 there are three lines, including the total one, households, industry, transport.

writing 2 some people think it is a waste of time to read newspaper and watch tv news, to what extent do you agree or disagree?

But I want to say that is mainly thanks to your website, I have actually only learned about writing part in this website at about 4 month. Thank you so much!!! your kindness and learning skills you shared really help us so much!!! Big thanks!!

Well done with your score! And thanks for sharing your topics 🙂

I had posted a comment regarding GT Writing Task2, few minutes back. Earlier it was mentioned that it is awaiting moderation. But now, I don’t see it at all. Has it been unapproved? If yes, can you please explain why?

To explain why your comment was waiting in moderation: 1) your first comment arrived at 6.30am UK time. I would be asleep. 2) your second comment arrived at 8am. I still hadn’t started work. As I work part time, I work alone and I’m sick, I don’t work every day. On top of that there are over 26,000 comments waiting in moderation, it is not humanly possible for a sick person or even a healthy person to read and answer them all. I do by best to help people for free, but I am not superwoman – I’m just a teacher who tries her best with the time I have.

You asked about personal experiences for an IELTS essay. This isn’t about you, your family or friends because those examples are generally informal and IELTS essays are formal in tone and content. It’s about your experience of the world and your opinions. This means you don’t refer to “a person I know does not own a car”, you write “although most people are car owners, a number of people still do not own cars”. That is how you phrase your knowledge and experience.

Regarding addressing parts of the essay question and ideas, part of your preparation is to prepare ideas for topics. This is the reason I created an e-book called Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics. The more topics you prepare for, the better. There is a list of over 100 essay topics on the main writing task 2 page of this website and I also published a list of potential topics for 2024 which you should also use for your preparation. Look through the lists and find the ones you know nothing about, then educate yourself. Obviously my e-books helps a lot with that process because it contains ideas and vocabulary for over 150 common essay topics. But the rest of the work, you must do yourself.

One of the marking criterion for writing task 2 is Task Response, which counts for 25% of your marks for writing task 2. This is your ability to address everything in the essay question, have a highly focused essay, have relevant ideas that are well developed and understand the issues given. So, if you haven’t prepared enough and you fail to address part of the essay question, or if part of your essay is irrelevant because you misunderstood it, then your score in Task Response will be lower. The band score descriptors published by IELTS for your benefit show that for a band score 5 in TR, “the main parts of the prompts are not addressed”. So, to fail in addressing the issues or including irrelevant information will hold you at around band 5 or band 6 depending at how poorly you do at this. For that reason, you need to prepare ideas for topics and also ensure that you are following current world issues, such as global warming, early education, international aid etc etc. All this information is explained on various pages of my website. This website is extensive and contains well over 200 pages of advice, tips, topics, examples, information and model answers. It is your task to use all the free information I have already provided to learn.

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive reply. Kudos to you !

You’re welcome

Hello Liz, Greetings from India. Hope you are doing well now. Thank you for uploading such wonderful material. I was hoping if you could help with the “include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience” part in GT Writing Part2. What phrases are suitable for mentioning personal experience in a formal essay? Moreover, if a topic is such that I don’t have any relevant experiences or ideas, then is it okay to skip over this part of the essay?

could you please rate my Essay and give me tips how to improve? I have sat the IELTS twice but always fail to achieve Bandscore 8.0. I always end up with Bandscore 7,5 in writing, but need a 8. My next test is in a few weeks and I am getting anxious now. I am having issues with developing paragraphs well as I should not write much more than 300 words, but I do not know how to fully develop an argument in just 250 words (or a bit more). Thank you in Advance, Cheers, Tara

There is a lot of pressure on young people today to succeed academically. As a result, some people believe that non-academic subjects, such as physical education and cookery, should be removed from the school syllabus so that children can concentrate on academic work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people argue, that non-vital subjects such as sports or cooking lessons should be banned from the curriculum in order to facilitate students to focus on exam relevant courses. Personally, I support the idea of maintaining extracurricular activities in school as it benefits childrens health and supports them in developing life skills.

First and foremost, students who undergo physical training during school hours and learn how to cook meals from scratch are best equipped for life. To be more precise, even though such classes seem to be irrelevant at first sight, they prove to be essential to teach pupils how to keep themselves fit, how to nourish and nurture their bodies and overall how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Students who regularly attend sports classes do not only gain muscles, accelerate their endurance and develop their stamina. They also improve on skills to succeed in academic life and in everyday’s life, such as motivation, resilience, persistence, agility, strength and motivation

Furthermore, they develop core skills such as self-awareness and confidence, which may in turn not only help strengthen their mental health but also to gain invaluable skills, such as for presenting in front of an audience.

However, there might be some students who do not lead a healthy lifestyle at all and are in favour of getting low-nutritional meal options at the next available food stall, in order to gain more time to focus on their studies. Alternatively, they would rather buy take-away meals or frozen food in the supermarket, that they can simply reheat or prepare at home in a short period of time.

To conclude, I strongly support the idea of keeping subjects such as physical training and cookery courses in the curriculum, in order to allow students to develop an understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle, which in turn raises their chance to succeed academically as well.

It looks like you haven’t read the band score descriptors. If your body paragraphs are not equally developed, you won’t get a high score in Coherence and Cohesion. It’s a very simple thing to learn and to do, but so many people don’t pay attention to it and it costs them a good band score. You’ve also got two body paragraphs where you don’t even mention the school curriculum or subjects. If your sentences are not fully written and fully connected to the topic given, you will get a lower score. Just because you’ve connected the points in your head, doesn’t mean it works in IELTS essays. For example, your second body paragraph is about awareness and confidence – who are you referring to? which subject are you referring to? how does this connect to the school curriculum and the balance of subjects? Not one single mention is given to explain anything in that body paragraph. You do a similar thing in the third body paragraph. In your introduction, you also completely change the essay topic by writing about extra-curricular activities. This topic is not about such activities, it’s about subjects such as cookery and physical education which form part of the curriculum – they are each a valid subject. Each time you paraphrase be very careful because if you paraphrase incorrectly or use the wrong words, you might completely go off topic. And that’s what you’ve done here. Finally, you’ve completely ignored the fact that the essay topic is about comparing these subjects with academic subjects (such as science, maths, literature etc) – you’ve failed to tackle that in your essay. I see many issues with the way you are writing and forming your essay. Even though your level of English is strong, Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion together form 50% of your marks and you are struggling with them both. You need to know what to aim at otherwise your score will be unpredictable. I suggest you get my advanced lessons and also my Grammar E-book which also contains information about linking, referring and much more: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . An IELTS essay is not just an essay. It an IELTS essay with specific requirements for higher band scores and you need to know what it’s all about.

Thanks,your informations are very useful )))

Hello Dear Liz. I wrote my test yesterday on the 30th. Waiting task 1 I wrote more than 150 words and the task 2 I wrote more than 250 words. Would that affect my score?

What a strange question to ask. Your task is to write more than 150 words in task 1 and to write more than 250 words in task 2. Did you get confused about the task? The word count task has remained the same for many years.

Hi Liz, this essay topic is a bit confusing. How do you advise to handle this? Many people think that more money will make them happier. How important is money for happiness?

You need to decide if money can make people happier or if there is anything else that can. If you think there are other things that can make people happy, you write one paragraph about how money affects people and then one or two other body paragraphs about the other factors of happiness.

Liz! My scores are in S8 L8.5 R9.0 W7. 5. We did it!!!

Excellent!! Very well done to you 🙂

The cultures of many countries around the world becomes more similar than they used to be. What are the reasons for this trend? Is it positive or negative? Hey Liz! How do I answer a double question essay

You would give a direct answer in your thesis statement in the introduction to both questions. Then, each body paragraph would tackle one question with a clear main point and explanation. Always remember to keep the organisation of your essay very logical for a high score.

Hello Liz, Thank you so much for providing us with a treasure store for IELTS preparation materials. I tried to pay for some e-books from the website, but it didn’t work. I have booked my exam on November 19, so I thought it would be beneficial to buy those books.

Could you please guide me?

All the payments at the moment for my advanced lessons and e-books go through paypal. Some countries can’t use paypal unfortunately, but you can always ask a friend to make the payments for you. If you use paypal, but you struggle to make a payment, check your paypal settings – you might need to ensure that they are set to allow for international payments. To purchase something, go to my store, click on the item you wish to purchase (CLICK HERE) and then click (BUY NOW). Contact me if you continue to have problems: [email protected] and this is a link to my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

DEAR LIZ Where can we get information of updated writing topics of september and october 2023

The writing topics and questions are changed with each test – there is not one set of topics for certain months.

I just went for the exam last week. Academic sample October 2023 Writing task 1- table on male and female of 6 different sectors for 3 different period. Writing task 2 – more people are moving into mega-cities: with 20 billion population, is this a negative or positive development?

For task 1 – I panicked and could not summarized as well I would normally do. For task 2 – completed but locked out no time to check.

I got my score for my compute based and got 6.5 for writing, i need to re sit for writing alone. Feeling demotivated,

Sorry to hear of your struggle. Tables can be challenging because there is so much information in them. You need to spend a lot of time just looking at tables and writing overviews. Once you have mastered the overview, you then need to look at lots of tables and simply decide what information to group together in which body paragraphs. It’s all about learning to select information. For writing task 2, planning should only take 5 mins and the introduction should be written very quickly because all introductions are similar – paraphrase and then state your position/main points. Only the body paragraphs take time to write, but you can only succeed in the body paragraphs if you have done enough planning before you start writing. All your sentences (information for each sentence) should have been planned before you start writing. Think carefully about how you prepare. You need to develop skills and strategies for both task 1 and task 2. I’m sure you can nail this. Just see it as another challenge that you will succeed in. Never let your emotions deter you. Your brain is a powerful tool and I have faith in you!! Good luck next time!!

Thank you Liz, will try again and re-sit soon with this strategies in mind.

hi mam, i am Nitharshini from srilanka. i am going to write exam coming December. so can you tell what are the topics expecting? please tell some tips and technic for eassy writing

The essay topics vary with each test. They are not seasonal. So, just stick with all the topics above and my 100 essay questions which cover a large range of topics that appear most years and can easily appear this year and next year: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/

People’s shopping habits depend more on the age group that they belong to then other factors. To what extent do you agree or disagree? I was asked this on my test yesterday. Good luck for your exam!

It’s an interesting essay question. Thanks for sharing. Hope your test went well 🙂

Hi, Liz! Voraciously consuming your page in preparation for my 2nd attempt. Thank you for the easy-to-follow IELTS content. Indeed, very helpful! Would like to share the question I got last week on Task 2:

Nowadays public transport prices are rapidly increasing. Why do you think it is happening? How can this problem be solved?

For the first question, it does require an opinion, right? I mistook the question as only asking for causes and solutions and failed to express/give my opinion. In retrospect, I regretted not analyzing the question very carefully before answering. Hoping to get my desired band next time.

Your task asks you for causes and solutions. You could easily say “I think the main reason that X is happening is because …” or you could write “The main reason X is happening is because …”. Both are fine. In this case it doesn’t matter. You’ve chosen your ideas and presented them. The problem with IELTS essays only comes when you are asked to choose and to present a clear position, but you fail to give any position at all. Failure to choose when you are asked to choose is the problem. So, don’t worry with cause solution essays – present them as you wish.

Thank you, Liz! I reviewed your tips carefully and focused on writing task 2 essays for a week before trying out again. From 6.5 on my 1st attempt to 7.5 on my next. The next topic I got was about children’s freedom nowadays, whether it is a positive or negative development. Thank you very much! I will keep recommending your page to my friends who will take IELTS.

I pray that just as we’ve claimed victory over IELTS, you will emerge victorious in your fight against your disease. May God heal you and bless you!

Great to hear your news!! It’s wonderful to see someone push their writing score up like that. Very well done 🙂 And thanks for your support in my fight to win my health back – much appreciated.

Hello Liz , Thank you so much for sharing the new topic for IELTS. Hope , it Will help us. Get well Soon.

Glad it’s useful. Thanks 🙂

Hey liz, my task 2 qn was: constructing bigger roads may help to prevent traffic problems. what is your opinion?

May i know what type of qn is this..i approached this as agree/ disagree type. In my answer i made it clear that even though i consider constructing bigger roads help to tackle the issue , people should be encouraged to use public transport. Is this the correct strategy.

unfortunately, my writing score decreased from 7 to 6.5 this time. I don’t know the reason but i was sure that i wrote it better than my 1st attempt by following most of your suggestions.

It is an Opinion Essay. An opinion essay is the same as an agree disagree essay. Don’t get confused by the way teachers name essays. An opinion essay is one where IELTS present you with an opinion such as “some people think that constructing bigger roads may help to prevent traffic problems”. Your task is to decide if you agree, disagree or partially agree with the opinion given. You might have your own specific opinion. If you partially agree as you did, you would have one paragraph explaining the benefits of constructing bigger roads. Then you would have another paragraph explaining that bigger roads is only one solution and more public transport is needed as well. Both ideas would need a separate paragraph and full explanation. IELTS essays are not just about what ideas you have, they are also about how you present them, how you connect them and how you explain them. Another possible issue with your essay is your choice of ideas. If bigger roads will reduce traffic congestion, encouraging people to use public transport probably isn’t of vital importance because you no longer have congestion. This doesn’t mean you can’t use this idea, but it does mean you need to address this. Having ideas isn’t enough for a high score. You need to think your ideas through and address them in a way that makes sense. So, you might want to address the point that even widening roads won’t be effective enough and needs to be in conjunction with improving public transport, and encouraging people to use it. The higher the band score, the more you have properly thought through your ideas. I’ll post a model answer for this essay shortly so you can compare it to your own. And don’t forget that your overall writing score also includes task 1 which is one of the main reasons people struggle to push their score above band 7. Many people think that because task 1 is only 33% of their marks, they won’t focus on it. But 33% can actually have a huge effect on your overall score.

Huge thanks Liz for your reply and effort to put a model answer for the qn.

I got a letter qn asking to address the manager of the company to tell him about the how the employees felt about the foreign language course given by the company to them. Also asked to request for more such classes and suggest the available time to join them. In a rush i concluded it with the designation yours sincerely (bcz my salutation was Dear Mr, Robert Peterson). I thought that i addressed the manager by name then it could be considered as an informal letter. Should i have written yours faithfully instead? I worry it might affected my band score bcz i have framed my essay structure as that you have stated above.

You used the correct sign off. We use “Yours sincerely” when we know the name of the person we are writing to, for example “Dear Mr Smith”. We use “Yours faithfully” when we don’t know they name and in which case we might start “Dear Sir”. An informal letter is usually to a friend. We might start “Dear John” or “Hi John” and sign off “All the best” or “Take care” – something friendly and informal. Just because you knew the manager’s name “Mr Robert” does not mean it is informal. He is your manager, not your friend. It is a work related letter, not a letter related to a social party. So, relax, you did it right. Here’s a link for others to my essential tips for letter writing for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-letter-writing-essential-tips/ Good luck with your results!

Extremely I’m grateful to you.I hope i’ld be able to get my desired band score in the next attempt.

Really praying for your health and happiness. Be blessed ❤️

I’m really pleased for you. Well done 🙂

Thank you so much

Madam,You are the best mentor i have ever seen Despite being ill ,you are keen on helping students .I appreciate your dedication and mentor .Get well soon.Love from India 🇮🇳.

You’re welcome 🙂

Dear Liz Today I had IELTS general training test, so I would like to share topic of writing task 2 for your useful website, if possible please post a sample answer for the below topic

Fast food is a part of life in many place. Some people think this has bad effects in lifestyle and diet. Do you agree or disagree?

Hi Liz, Thank you for the topics and the outline. You really make writing task 2 seem easy.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 Hope your test went well 🙂

Just now wrote this; please liz guide me on this. As I am going have my GT Ielts on coming weekend, InshAllah. Many modern societies have normalized the concept of fast food. Mostly, people eat fast food as their routine diet. In this essay I will write my view point regarding negative impact of fast food in lifestyle and diet.

I strongly believe that fast food is a reason of bad eating habit. As it is instantly ordered or cooked food with unmeasurable quantity of unhealthy ingredients, people usually don’t need to hustle or think before eating. This results in nonserious behavior towards the healthy eating style.

Secondly, fast food also influences the unwell way of living. For instant, if an irregular food is being eaten on a frequent basis will consequently result in illness and suffering. Therefore, people tend to end up in hospitals and so their lifestyle gets disturbed and miserable.

On the contrast, many people argue that fast food is good and easy to eat. They think like eating fast food is a part of modern era and brings them a social status. As far as I am concerned, I think they are unaware that this easiness and modernization will ultimately cause them illness and laziness. Because, they have become so much habitual of eating such type of edibles that they cannot think or realize further.

In conclusion, fast food makes a person unhealthy and ruins their lifestyle. In a way that people start to possess wrong eating choices and start to have health conditions after eating swiftly made food. In my opinion awareness of balanced diet should be encouraged across the globe.

Please review all my free lessons and tips for writing task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . If you need training in each type of essay, get my advanced lessons which you can find in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . Make sure you aim for between 270-290 words more or less. Try not to write such short essays and please review your paragraphing and linking words.

Are these the ways that Essays are sent in IELTS exams ,the bullet points under the main topic are we to use them to develop points that is paraphrasing them?

These are essay topics, not questions. If you go to the links I provided to the 100 essay questions, you’ll see examples of questions for most topics. Essay questions are great to practice with at home: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . But you can’t possibly practice so many essay questions in full. Instead, you practice with as many questions as you can and the rest you tackle as just topics by preparing useful ideas you can use. Above, I have provided some of the new topics that have appeared in the test this year and provided you with ideas you can use in your essays. You will adapt those ideas depending on how the essay question is rephrased and depending on the task given. As I explained on the page, IELTS like to change the task and change the wording which is why your preparation needs to be flexible. If you wish to see model essays for different types of tasks for writing task 2, see this page for model essays and more tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi liz , can we write “a survey conducted by the department the UK depicted that 45 % of people fo not respect their elders ” in task 2 of writing module

The examiner has no interest in data or numbers in writing task 2 essays and no interest in studies or research. None of that will boost your score. Instead, explain your points and illustrate them using a range of good language: “the majority of younger people nowadays seem to lack respect for their elders compared to previous generations”. “the majority” is better English than “75%”. Alternatively, “almost half of all young people” is better English than “45%”. Writing task 1 is about data in the academic test, but task 2 is not. Also expand your sentence by adding comparatives to previous generations to show the examiner more language skills.

thank you so much dear

Grateful to you 🙏 appreciate your efforts 😊 bless you dear ❣️

Hello, Thank you for your lesson. I would like to learn the vocabulary that you published (very useful material, for me) concerning crimes, punishments, etc .. but the page is protected. If it’s possible, please, to give me the permission to copy that page? For free or with a paiement? Thank you very much for your answer! Best regards, Andreia ,

Sorry, my website doesn’t allow coping. The act of making notes is part of language learning. The more you use the language both in writing and speaking, the quicker you will learn it.

Thank you very much mam . Your lessons have inspired and encouraged me to take the IELTS test . But I have a problem, I can’t really figure out how to create a link in task 2 general writing.

I don’t understand what you mean by create a link. Do you mean using linking words? You can find linking words for task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/linking-words-for-writing/

Such a wonderful topics, thank you so much dear Liz

I got my IELTS GT score today, and I wanted to thank you. I am so grateful for your website. While I had practiced Listening and Reading tests before, I ended up havinvg barely 1 day to prepare for the Writing (including familiarising myself with the format for GT) and Speaking owing to my sudden work demands. Your platform was instrumental in supporting me, especially with the Writing. During Speaking, I became a tad nervous, and I thought that had messed up, but that was just the post-exam fear.

My IELTS GT result: Overall 8.5 (L8.5, R8.5, W8.0 and S8.5). I had taken IELTS Academic back in 2019 but my Writing and Speaking bands back then were lower (Overall 8 with L9, D9, W7 and S7.5).

I currently reside in Australia, and I wanted to add the topics I had in my writing in case they may help someone else. – Task 1 was a formal letter to a teacher asking for reference. Prompts included why I’m writing to this particular teacher, the details of the job and why I think I’m fit for the role. -Task 2 was a two-question essay. It suggested that nowadays different generations in a family spend less time doing activities together. What is/are the reason(s)? Is this a positive or negative development?

Your tips on introduction paragraph writing and paragraph structuring helped me immensely. I established technology as the reason and took my stance on this gap causing a negative impact. In paragraph 1, I talked about how technology causes this from the older generations perspective. In paragraph 2, I used smart phones and social media as the technology advancements to suggest how gaps arise from the younger generations’ side. In paragraph 3, I establish how it negatively affects the development families and the community as a whole. Finished it up with the conclusion starting with “to conclude” just like you’ve recommended. If I hadn’t watched your content, I would’ve tried to be unnecessarily fancy, and lost points.

Again, I am truly grateful for your website, and all the work you’ve put into it.

Great results!! And I’m so pleased to see how you’ve improved. I’m glad you kept your essay focused – this is what IELTS writing task 2 is all about – focused and relevant sentences, each one serving a purpose. Thanks for sharing your writing tasks, it’s always useful to keep up-to-date. Wishing you all the best in your future 🙂

Hi Akash , I’m about to take my IELTS GT test please it would be of great help to me if you could help me with some questions and guidance

Thank you Liz,ur teachings are more easier and understandable 🙏

I’m glad it’s all useful 🙂

it seems that these topics do not have the task

Tasks can be altered in the same way that essay questions can be recorded. Don’t expect questions and task to appear the same in the test. This is the reason you need to prepare ideas for topics which you then adapt to the question and task.

Thank you mam for helping us ,from my bottom of heart your lessons give me more confidence to prepare my ielts exam…

welcome back Liz. Hope you are feeling much better now. Happy to see you back again. waiting for more videos . ❤️❤️😍

Thanks. I’m still struggling but I’m going to try and post up posts more regularly if possible. Fingers crossed 🙂 It’ll take me longer to make videos though.

helpful website

Thank you very much Liz. for those topics. I hope you are fine and strong again.

Thank you Liz,this email is so helpful.

Thank you very much.

Hi Liz , could you make video on music , history and comedy movie topics for IELTS speaking test ( part 2) ? How to tackle these topics ? Thanks Shazia

Sure, I’ll add them to my list of videos to make but as I’m still sick, it’ll be a while before I can make videos again. I do intend to get back to video making whenever I can.

Hi liz, Am very happy to be one of your student.May God bless you and your family for the good heart.Thanks Thanks

Much appreciated Liz. Your ideas are really helpful in opening up one’s mind

just thank thankful to you

Madam you are hope and inspiration of many of us.

Thank u madam

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

Notify me of new posts by email.

Advanced IELTS Lessons & E-books

Recent Lessons

Ielts speaking part 2 topic water sports: vocab & model answer, ielts liz personal update 2024, ielts model essay -two questions essay type, ielts bar chart of age groups 2024, ielts topic: urban planning.

Click Below to Learn:

• IELTS Test Information

Copyright Notice

Copyright © Elizabeth Ferguson, 2014 – 2024

All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

• Click here:  Privacy Policy 
• Click here: Disclaimer

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2024 · Prose on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

New sex crime charges filed against Ocean Springs Middle School substitute teacher

F ormer South Mississippi substitute teacher Keshawn Tre’Vyune Belcher is facing new felony sex crimes charges in a nine-count indictment handed down in Jackson County, according to court records.

Belcher was a substitute teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School when he was initially arrested in April 2023 on one count of touching a child for lustful purposes or molestation and one count of child exploitation.

The grand jury found enough evidence to indict Belcher on one count of touching a child lustful purposes, five counts of child exploitation and three counts of dissemination of sexually-oriented material to minors.

He has remained jailed without bond since his arrest last year.

According to court papers, Belcher committed the crimes over five days in April 2023.

During that time, the records say, Belcher touched one minor student sexually, sent pictures and videos of himself naked and masturbating to several minor students, solicited one student to perform oral sex, and tried unsuccessfully to get a minor student to video themselves masturbating and send the video back to Belcher.

Ocean Springs police said Belcher used Snapchat to communicate with students and send them inappropriate sexual content and videos of himself.

More details about Belcher’s alleged crimes came out in three individual lawsuits filed by the parents of three minor students against Belcher, the Ocean Springs School District, and the temporary employment agency Kelly Services, Inc., and other unnamed defendants have since been transferred to federal court in Gulfport.

The school district contracts with Kelly Services, Inc., to hire substitute teachers at Mississippi Coast schools. Kelly Services sent Belcher to work as a substitute teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School.

The Ocean Springs Middle School lawsuits involved three students: two girls and one boy.

In one case, a then 13-year-old Ocean Springs Middle School student said she was held against her will and molested by Belcher after he summoned her to his classroom on the premise that he was going to help her with an assignment.

When the girl got there, Belcher was the only person in the room and blocked the girl from leaving when he grabbed her face and started kissing her and touching her body inappropriately, the records say

The girl said she couldn’t get away because Belcher “held her in his grip,” the lawsuit says.

When the school bell rang and momentarily distracted Belcher, the records say the girl escaped his grasp and ran out of the classroom. The girl then reported what had happened to her parents and the school.

In a separate incident, Belcher is accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a then-12-year-old student at Ocean Springs Middle School. He later messaged her on Snapchat and social media, asking if he could stop by her home to watch TV with her, but the girl’s parents wouldn’t allow it.

Subsequently, the records say Belcher made sexual remarks to the girl at school and asked her to perform oral sex on him.

In a third incident, this time involving a then 14-year-old Ocean Springs Middle School student, Belcher is accused of sending inappropriate messages over Snapchat to the young boy.

In one exchange, for example, Belcher sent the boy a text saying that he was horny before following that up with an image of himself naked and then a video of himself masturbating, the records say.

The students reported what had happened to their parents, who reported the allegations to Ocean Springs police.

In the lawsuits, the parents accuse the school district and Kelly Services of negligence in hiring, failure to investigate and prosecute misconduct, and failure to properly train and hire qualified people to monitor teacher activities.

They accuse Belcher of false imprisonment, harassment, assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress and allege that Belcher’s actions “exceeded all bounds of decency and is far beyond what is tolerated in a civilized society.”

The Sun Herald is not identifying the parents who filed the lawsuits to protect the identity of the minor students. The Sun Herald does not identify victims of sex crimes.

According to records obtained by the Sun Herald, Belcher had problems as a substitute teacher at Gulfport High School prior to the incident in Ocean Springs ran into problems when he served as a substitute teacher at Gulfport High School, according to records obtained by the Sun Herald.

Main Navigation

• Contact NeurIPS
• Code of Ethics
• Code of Conduct
• Create Profile
• Journal To Conference Track
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Proceedings
• Future Meetings
• Exhibitor Information
• Privacy Policy

NeurIPS 2024, the Thirty-eighth Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, will be held at the Vancouver Convention Center

Monday Dec 9 through Sunday Dec 15. Monday is an industry expo.

Registration

Pricing » Registration 2024 Registration Cancellation Policy » . Certificate of Attendance

Our Hotel Reservation page is currently under construction and will be released shortly. NeurIPS has contracted Hotel guest rooms for the Conference at group pricing, requiring reservations only through this page. Please do not make room reservations through any other channel, as it only impedes us from putting on the best Conference for you. We thank you for your assistance in helping us protect the NeurIPS conference.

Announcements

• The call for High School Projects has been released
• The Call For Papers has been released
• See the Visa Information page for changes to the visa process for 2024.

Latest NeurIPS Blog Entries [ All Entries ]

Important dates.

If you have questions about supporting the conference, please contact us .

View NeurIPS 2024 exhibitors » Become an 2024 Exhibitor Exhibitor Info »

Organizing Committee

General chair, program chair, workshop chair, workshop chair assistant, tutorial chair, competition chair, data and benchmark chair, diversity, inclusion and accessibility chair, affinity chair, ethics review chair, communication chair, social chair, journal chair, creative ai chair, workflow manager, logistics and it, mission statement.

The Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to foster the exchange of research advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, principally by hosting an annual interdisciplinary academic conference with the highest ethical standards for a diverse and inclusive community.

About the Conference

The conference was founded in 1987 and is now a multi-track interdisciplinary annual meeting that includes invited talks, demonstrations, symposia, and oral and poster presentations of refereed papers. Along with the conference is a professional exposition focusing on machine learning in practice, a series of tutorials, and topical workshops that provide a less formal setting for the exchange of ideas.

More about the Neural Information Processing Systems foundation »

• National Poetry Month
• Materials for Teachers
• Literary Seminars
• American Poets Magazine

Main navigation

• Academy of American Poets

User account menu

2023 Poet Laureate Fellows Essays & Interviews

Page submenu block.

• literary seminars
• materials for teachers
• poetry near you

In 2023, the Academy of American Poets awarded a combined total of $1.1 million to its 2023  Poet Laureate Fellows . These funds supported their respective public poetry programs throughout the year as presented in their proposals to the Academy. The fellowship program is made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The 2023 Poet Laureate Fellows and the communities they serve are:  Diannely Antigua  (Portsmouth, NH);  Lisa Bickmore  (Utah);  Jennifer Bartell Boykin  (Columbia, SC);  Joseph Bruchac  (Saratoga Springs, NY); Lauren Camp  (New Mexico);  Laura Da’  (Redmond, WA);  Oliver de la Paz  (Worcester, MA);  Farnaz Fatemi  (Santa Cruz County, CA);  Nicholas Gulig  (Fort Atkinson, WI);  Peter J. Harris  and  Carla Rachel Sameth (Altadena, CA);  Taylor Johnson  (Takoma Park, MD);  Yalie Saweda Kamara  (Cincinnati, OH);  Brandy Nālani McDougall (Hawaiʻi);  Gloria Muñoz  (St. Petersburg, FL);  Sharon Kennedy-Nolle  (Sullivan County, NY); Shin Yu Pai  (Seattle, WA);  Willie Perdomo  (New York);  Jason Magabo Perez  (San Diego, CA);  Glenis Redmond  (Greenville, SC);  Erin Elizabeth Smith  (Oak Ridge, TN);  Junious Ward  (Charlotte, NC); and  Joaquín Zihuatanejo  (Dallas, TX).

Learn more about the 2023 Poet Laureate Fellows, their communities, fellowship projects, writing practices, and thoughts on poetry, by reading these interviews and essays from their fellowship year. 

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Lisa Bickmore

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Jennifer Bartell Boykin

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Joseph Bruchac

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Lauren Camp

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Laura Da’

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Oliver de la Paz

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Farnaz Fatemi

On Poetry and Community: Nicholas Gulig

At the age of forty-three, in what is, I hope, the middle of my life, I became the tenth poet laureate of the s

On Poetry and Community: Peter J. Harris

On Poetry and Community: Carla Rachel Sameth

Usually, I am one to find the thread of dark humor even in the worst of circumstances.

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Sharon Kennedy-Nolle

Poet Laureate Fellows Interviews: Shin Yu Pai

On Poetry and Community: Willie Perdomo

On Poetry and Community: Jason Magabo Perez

On Poetry and Community: Glenis Redmond

On Poetry & Community: Erin Elizabeth Smith

On Poetry and Community: Joaquín Zihuatanejo

When I applied to be the inaugural poet laureate of Dallas, I did so with the idea of service in mind.

Poet Laureate Fellow Interview: Gloria Muñoz

Newsletter sign up.

• Academy of American Poets Newsletter
• Academy of American Poets Educator Newsletter
• Teach This Poem

The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

Moving past gen AI’s honeymoon phase: Seven hard truths for CIOs to get from pilot to scale

A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024

Implementing generative AI with speed and safety

Reinventing search with a new AI-powered Microsoft Bing and Edge, your copilot for the web

Feb 7, 2023 | Yusuf Mehdi - Corporate Vice President & Consumer Chief Marketing Officer

• Share on Facebook (opens new window)
• Share on Twitter (opens new window)
• Share on LinkedIn (opens new window)

To empower people to unlock the joy of discovery, feel the wonder of creation and better harness the world’s knowledge, today we’re improving how the world benefits from the web by reinventing the tools billions of people use every day, the search engine and the browser.

Today, we’re launching an all new, AI-powered Bing search engine and Edge browser, available in preview now at Bing.com , to deliver better search, more complete answers, a new chat experience and the ability to generate content. We think of these tools as an AI copilot for the web.

“AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all – search,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Today, we’re launching Bing and Edge powered by AI copilot and chat, to help people get more from search and the web.”

There are 10 billion search queries a day, but we estimate half of them go unanswered. That’s because people are using search to do things it wasn’t originally designed to do. It’s great for finding a website, but for more complex questions or tasks too often it falls short.

The new Bing and Edge – Your copilot for the web

We have brought together search, browsing and chat into one unified experience you can invoke from anywhere on the web, delivering:

• Better search. The new Bing gives you an improved version of the familiar search experience, providing more relevant results for simple things like sports scores, stock prices and weather, along with a new sidebar that shows more comprehensive answers if you want them.
• Complete answers. Bing reviews results from across the web to find and summarize the answer you’re looking for. For example, you can get detailed instructions for how to substitute eggs for another ingredient in a cake you are baking right in that moment, without scrolling through multiple results.
• A new chat experience. For more complex searches – such as for planning a detailed trip itinerary or researching what TV to buy – the new Bing offers new, interactive chat. The chat experience empowers you to refine your search until you get the complete answer you are looking for by asking for more details, clarity and ideas – with links available so you can immediately act on your decisions.
• A creative spark. There are times when you need more than an answer – you need inspiration. The new Bing can generate the content to help you. It can help you write an email, create a 5-day itinerary for a dream vacation to Hawaii, with links to book your travel and accommodations, prep for a job interview or create a quiz for trivia night. The new Bing also cites all its sources, so you’re able to see links to the web content it references.
• New Microsoft Edge experience. We’ve updated the Edge browser with new AI capabilities and a new look, and we’ve added two new functionalities: Chat and compose. With the Edge Sidebar, you can ask for a summary of a lengthy financial report to get the key takeaways – and then use the chat function to ask for a comparison to a competing company’s financials and automatically put it in a table. You can also ask Edge to help you compose content, such as a LinkedIn post, by giving it a few prompts to get you started. After that, you can ask it to help you update the tone, format and length of the post. Edge can understand the web page you’re on and adapts accordingly.

My anniversary is coming up in September, help me plan a trip somewhere fun in Europe, leaving from London.

Will the Ikea Klippan loveseat fit into my 2019 Honda Odyssey?

Reinventing search with AI

The new Bing experience is a culmination of four technical breakthroughs:

• Next-generation OpenAI model . We’re excited to announce the new Bing is running on a new, next-generation OpenAI large language model that is more powerful than ChatGPT and customized specifically for search. It takes key learnings and advancements from ChatGPT and GPT-3.5 – and it is even faster, more accurate and more capable.
• Microsoft Prometheus model . We have developed a proprietary way of working with the OpenAI model that allows us to best leverage its power. We call this collection of capabilities and techniques the Prometheus model. This combination gives you more relevant, timely and targeted results, with improved safety.
• Applying AI to core search algorithm . We’ve also applied the AI model to our core Bing search ranking engine, which led to the largest jump in relevance in two decades. With this AI model, even basic search queries are more accurate and more relevant.
• New user experience . We’re reimagining how you interact with search, browser and chat by pulling them into a unified experience. This will unlock a completely new way to interact with the web.

These groundbreaking new search experiences are possible because Microsoft has committed to building Azure into an AI supercomputer for the world, and OpenAI has used this infrastructure to train the breakthrough models that are now being optimized for Bing.

Microsoft and OpenAI – innovating together, responsibly

Together with OpenAI, we’ve also been intentional in implementing safeguards to defend against harmful content. Our teams are working to address issues such as misinformation and disinformation, content blocking, data safety and preventing the promotion of harmful or discriminatory content in line with our AI principles .

The work we are doing with OpenAI builds on our company’s yearslong effort to ensure that our AI systems are responsible by design. We will continue to apply the full strength of our responsible AI ecosystem – including researchers, engineers and policy experts – to develop new approaches to mitigate risk.

Live today in limited preview, expanding to millions soon

The new Bing is available today in a limited preview on desktop, and everyone can visit Bing.com today to try sample queries and sign up for the waitlist. We’re going to scale the preview to millions in the coming weeks. A mobile experience will also be in preview soon.

We’re excited to put the new Bing and Edge into the real world to get the critical feedback required to improve our models as we scale.

Related links:

Amy Hood, Microsoft executive vice president and chief financial officer, will host a conference call with investors at 2:30 p.m. PT.

Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president: Meeting the moment: advancing the future through responsible AI

Learn more about advertising on the new Bing

More information about the announcement

Tags: AI , Bing , Microsoft Edge

• Check us out on RSS