Mohammad Hassan is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Public Health of Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. [Photo/jschina.com]

Though having been in China for over 10 years, Mohammad Hassan, a doctoral student in Nanjing, said that this year will be his first time spending the winter holiday at school.

"I used to go back to Afghanistan every summer and winter holiday, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic concerns, I have chosen to stay at the school this time," Hassan said.

"I don't feel lonely and the lives of us stay-at-school students will be much more rich and colorful, as the school will carry out many group activities like city tours and dumpling-making, as well as a dancing and singing show on Lunar New Year's Eve. I will also do some research and polish my essays in this time," he added.

Hassan added that he was eagerly looking forward to the upcoming Spring Festival, as he knew that it holds great meaning for Chinese people.

"The Spring Festival is much like the Eid in our Muslim countries as they are both a time for family reunions. We follow the tradition of enjoying a dinner together and the elders will give red packets to the younger generations," Hassan said.

Hassan started his studies in China in 2008, when he spent four years finishing his undergraduate education at Nantong University. He then went back to his hometown and worked as a pediatrician. In 2015, Hassan came to Nanjing and began his postgraduate education at the School of Public Health of Southeast University.

More than 190 international students are planning to spend this year's Spring Festival at Southeast University. Many of them have volunteered to contribute to safeguarding the campus and preventing the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday, which ends on Feb 26.

International students at Southeast University celebrate the Spring Festival. [Photo/jschina.com]