A new tool of communication called the "drift diary" is doing the rounds among young college graduates.

The "drift diary", like those ancient paper messages put into a bottle left to drift on the high seas to reach hundreds of miles away, connects lonely hearts. It was first started by a Beijing woman, who goes by the screen name Little S, in 2007.It has become the preferred tool of communication among youngsters afraid to reveal their innermost self to peers, but wanting to share their lives with others. The way it works is that the initiator（发起人）of the diary mentions it on popular Internet forums such as Tianya and Douban. Those wanting to react or otherwise add to the diary then send their real names and addresses to the initiator via e-mails or text messages.

The numbers in one group are usually restricted to between 30 and 50. The diary then is passed on to another by the express delivery or personal handover. The diary writers are mostly anonymous（匿名的）but if they wish to reveal their identity they can do so by posting their contact information at the end of their postings.

The diary writers not just add words but also decorate the plain notebooks with cartoons, drawings or even dress it up with a ribbon or a new cover. Interesting experiences, travel journals, the simple joys of everyday living or sweet recollections of childhood, all find a place in these diaries. Most often, though, the writers set down their frustrations and predicaments.

It usually takes one year for a diary to return to the initiator. The last recorder is the luckiest one, with access to all previous entries, while others can request photocopies of them from the diary's initiator.

Keep Calm During the Hard Times

When life gets hard, sometimes it's not easy to control yourself and not to sink deep into the bad feelings. Have you ever wondered how some people can be so calm during the hard times？【小题1】 Here are four things you can do to get through hard times.

Cry if you need to-for a while. Some people like to control themselves.【小题2】 If you do control them, it's like holding a ball under the water. You can do it for a while, but it will finally come back to the surface. So have a good cry once in a while to help you think more clearly.【小题3】 Lost in the bad emotions, we won't change anything. Let's say you just lost your job. Maybe it is a shock. After crying, then you should make the decision to put your calm hat on. Start to find new jobs. Then do something.

Ask for help. Unluckily, a lot of people think that asking for help is a sign of weakness. It's not!【小题4】 Nowhere! Having other people support you will make you feel like you have more power than before.

Believe that things will get better. If you don't believe that things will change, then they won't. I always love Henry Ford's words, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't-you are right." If you think things will get better, then they finally will. If you think they won't, then they won't.【小题5】

Stay calm when life gets hard. If you practice these steps on a regular basis, sooner or later it will become second nature to you.