It's always fun and exciting to make New Year's resolutions, but sometimes they're hard to keep-and easy to blow off. Yet when it comes to the Backstreet Boys, New Year's resolutions are something they definitely don't take for granted. Although Orlando, Florida-based band members Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Litrell, A.J. McLean and Nick Carter are busy touring performing such hits such as "We've Got It Goin' On" and "Anywhere For You" from their due-in-April CD, theyre also working hard to keep the New Year's resolutions they made a couple of months ago.

Kevin, 24, knows that being on tour keeps him away from the people he grew up with, so his first resolution is to stay in contact with his friends. He's also trying to relax and enjoy the group's success. "That's one of my goals because I tend to be such a perfectionist and I look so far ahead at what we have yet accomplish and that I forget to look back and see what we've already done and be proud of it," he confides to BOP. His cousin Brian, on the other hand, has just one simple New Year's resolution: "To stop biting my finger nails!" the 22-year-old says.

Now that the Backstreet Boys are getting more popular, fans will soon want to hear more songs. And 23-year-old Howie has already given this much thought. "To keep writing music is a big resolution that I want to start.," he tells BOP. Howie also confesses that he still has a resolution left over from the last year that he's trying to work on. "I'm going to try to be on time for things and not take so long to get ready," he says. "Maybe I'll be less stressed if I'm more organized with my time."

A.J.'s resolutions are all about being fit. Though he's known to eat very little dairy products for health reasons, the 23-year-old *hello?! I thought he was 19 yrs. old?!* does have a craving for fast-foods, which he knows is not exactly good for him. "I'm going to try to chill out on the McDonald's food," he says. "Sometimes I eat too much of it and I've had a problem in the past with my stomach. I don't want to make it worse that it is, so I'm trying to eat less greasy, fattening foods and take better care of myself." He points out that being healthy not only involves eating well, but getting enough exercise, too. "I'm going to try to work out more and be more cautious of my body," Howie adds.

Whew! Sounds like the Backstreet Boys want to accomplish a lot for themselves with these New Year's resolutions. Doesn't anyone in the band not want to make such heavy promises? The youngest member, Nick does. "I'm pretty much okay with myself," says the 17-year-old. "I think the only thing is, is to just have fun!" Now that's a resolution we can all keep!