This year, the beaver takes center stage in the Charles River. His dignified and firm pose as he looks ahead represents the strength and forward looking characteristics our class has shown while facing hardship during the pandemic. The log supports the beaver and is symbolic of the support we received from family and friends throughout our unconventional college experience. The fire hose resting in the shape of an infinity sign in the bottom left references both the phrase 'MIT is like drinking from a fire hose' and the famous infinite corridor we traverse through on our daily commune to class. Floating in the river we find an oak leaf, representing our first fall semester that we spent away from MIT's campus. Behind Hayden we find both Stata and the Green Building with the darkened windows representing dorm row. To the left of the Green Building we have a crane to symbolize the ever-expanding nature of MIT campus and the innovation hub of Kendall Square.

On the right, the John Hancock and Prudential buildings tower above the Longfellow and Zakim Bridge. The Citgo sign's iconic triangle has been transformed into a flexagon - one of the several items we first received in our silver tubes. High in the night sky we find the sun and the moon, representing the many different time zones we all lived in during our freshman fall. The constellation of Auriga shines brightly above MIT campus, embodying both the familiar cyclohexane and the myth of Erichthonius, who invented the chariot and was raised by Athena.

The class shank is a constantly evolving presence on the Brass Rat. Although consistently set on Killian Court with the Great Dome towering in the background, the remaining details are unique to each class. The plaque on the dome is accurate to the Great Dome, as it reads 'MCMXVI' which is the year 1917 - the year in which it was constructed. Flanking the left side of the shank is a bare oak tree, which stands strong on Killian Court despite missing all of its leaves, symbolic of how our class stood strong through our first year at MIT without many of the exciting components that make MIT what it is. Standing opposite to the oak tree is a blooming cherry blossom, similar to the ones that line the Esplanade across the river. This tree signifies the growth of our class on an active and open MIT campus. On a column, there is a barbershop pole pattern, which reflects MIT's hacking culture and the Barber 70 Scavenger Hunt that happened last fall. In the foreground stands Cerberus, the Hound of Hades, guarding the gates of hell. Serving as the namesake for MIT's Kerberos, Cerberus also represents our collaborative nature. Cerberus holds a gear and a paintbrush in two of it's mouths, symbolic of our class's nature to create, whether it be through scientific or artistic means.

The seal shank is characterized by its main feature, the MIT seal. We reinvented the classic seal by replacing the original seal figures with Athena and Hephestus. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, takes the position of the scholar, representing the academic side of MIT. She is a symbol of the Institute, an embodiment of the thoughtful and perceptive nature of MIT students. She carries a laptop rather than the traditional book to symbolize our year of virtual learning and because it is a more accurate representation of how we engage with science and technology in the modern era. The back of Athena's computer features an asterix, a reference to CP*, our first formal introduction to MIT. The other seal figure is represented by Hephaestus, the Greek god of blacksmithing, renowned for his creation ability. He represents the hands-on and thriving maker culture of MIT, focusing on our drive to apply our knowledge to real world applications.

There are four stars in the sky above the seal, representing the four flex PNRs our class has, a policy MIT first implemented with our class. At the bottom of the ring, a phoenix is seen standing proud with its wings wide. The phoenix represents rebirth as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic renewed and stronger than ever.

Upon graduation, we will turn our Brass Rats so that the Cambridge skyline faces us, symbolic of the graduated versions of ourselves that will be remembering the many MIT buildings and campus spaces that the class of 2024 called home. The Harvard Bridge protrudes out of the skyline, connecting our class forever to MIT's campus, no matter where our individual paths lead us. In the Charles, we see a crew boat and a swimming beaver, symbols paying homage to the many athletes in our class. Connected to the Great Dome are buildings 7 and 4. To the Dome's right are Stata and the Green Building, two hallmarks of MIT architecture and our campus skyline. Next to the Green Building is the Transparent Horizons sculpture, a historically popular target of MIT's hacker culture. On the far right, Site 4, the new tallest building in Cambridge, towers over the rest of campus, representing the many new Kendall skyscrapers that have joined MIT in Cambridge. Kresge, an icon of West Campus and home to many art performances, sits to the left of the Great Dome. Last but not least, a simple house stands on the far left of the skyline, representing our class's off-campus start to MIT either from our childhood homes or in a new home with a newfound MIT family.

As undergrads at MIT, we will wear the Brass Rat so that the Boston skyline faces us. The Boston skyline represents the city of Boston, and the plethora of opportunities it provides. The Boston skyline is depicted at night, indicative of the view a student studying late at night would see while looking out across the Charles. There is a collection of iconic landmarks in our portrayal, such as the Prudential Building and Fenway. In the center of the skyline stands the Westin Copley Place Hotel, the venue where Twenty Fourmal was held. In the night sky hang twin north stars depicting the two Boston Marathons held this school year, something unique to our class. The other buildings on the skyline include a variety of modern and historical buildings to depict the current and historical importance of the city. Towards the right of the skyline, the Harvard Bridge represents Boston's accessibility and connection to Cambridge and MIT.

And finally we come to the hacker's map, the Brass Rat's most well-hidden (and most functional) tradition. This year, we sought to build upon the work done in years past and create the most accurate map of the main campus underground as possible. Built on data from every available floor plan and cross-referenced by numerous exhaustive expeditions, we can guarantee that every corridor, hallway, passage, or inlet present beneath MIT is here on this map at a precise relative scale to help you navigate from class to class, avoid the outdoors during inclement weather, or guide any other activities you may wish to undertake out of sight of the general public.

Also included on your map is a brand new compass rose to further hone your navigational prowess while here at MIT. The i-hat vector, akin to the unit vector notation with which we have all become familiar, points due east. Three additional needles point in the other cardinal directions, with north, or j-hat, being a quarter-turn anticlockwise of i-hat. Following historical navigational tradition, the compass rose is adorned with decoration relevant to our journey: encircling the four needles is a strand of RNA, representing advancements in COVID vaccines which we hope will realign humanity's course back onto its normal path.