The following essays, written by students in the introductory writing subjects at MIT, were selected for publication in Angles 2022 by an editorial board of lecturers. The ten works are categorized by theme and linked below. For more information on Angles, see our About Angles page. For an overview of this edition of Angles and an explanation of the thematic categories chosen for this edition, please see our Editors’ Note.
Family, Identity, and Experience
Heat Waves, 2020 by Ivy Liu
“Do cicadas just buzz until they die?”
I’ve Got Some News for Ya by Matthew Soza
“My eyes are having trouble staying open as I lie on the top bunk….”
Tales of Paths Paved and Unpaved at the Grand Canyon Rim by Shelli Orzach
“It was 5 a.m. and I drove the paved, straight road to the Grand Canyon National Park shuttle stop.”
Graphic Memoir
History of Hanu by Hanu Park
“As much as I hate you, I love you, and I can’t express how thankful I am.”
Self in Society
The Great American Food Conundrum by Amee Savjani
“As I bike through the lush green hills of the Italian countryside from a trip to the local market….”
Seeing Double by Kei
“The bathroom upstairs is always freezing; a wall of cold air hits me as I enter.”
Emerging Technologies
Cooking up a New Family Recipe: the Perovskite Solar Cell by Audrey Lee
“Think back to your favorite family recipe — the food that only your mom or grandpop can make just the way you like it.“
Small Steps and Giant Leaps in Fuel Cell Technologies by Divya Nori
“In the summer of 1969, an estimated one million spectators packed Florida highways and open beaches to witness a historic event”
Biofuels Under Fire: Exploring Solutions Beyond Corn Ethanol by Agustin Valdes Martinez
“Scientists and lay people alike have become increasingly aware of a ticking ‘doomsday’ clock….”
How a Robot Can Give You Superhuman Strength: Dr. DelPreto’s Gesture Language by Audrey Lee
“Dr. Joseph DelPreto has superpowers. He can lift a sofa with one hand.”