Normally, Beijing is empty AF during New Year's because everyone heads home. The past two, three years however, families come to Beijing to visit their kids at school (Beijing has the largest concentration of universities in China), so the population like...tripled temporarily. It's a little better now, but since school still haven't started yet for most universities, there's just tons of college kids stuffed everywhere. Plus a giant flow of tourists that just doesn't seem to stop, regardless of season.

Also, it doesn't help that I have to go take the metro for like five stops to the nearest theater, because we live out in Beijing-boonies where there are no easy access commodities. So yeah, laziness is a huge hurdle I have to get over. (lll￢ω￢)