What Worked Well
Meeting in Person, Outside Formal Settings
While we already shared a school, schedule, and physical space, we intentionally held our PTOP sessions outside of our usual routines — gathering in apartment living rooms, a co-working space, and at picnic tables by the river. These out-of-context spaces offered a small universe free of filters and open to earnest reflection.
Working with a Facilitator
During our PTOP development process, we benefited from a dedicated facilitator on staff at MIT CoLab. He organized us, scheduled meetings, designed session agendas, and helped get us unstuck. Having someone outside the writing process to facilitate helped us focus on the work itself, especially in a school setting where a PTOP could easily feel like an “extra” rather than a priority.
Beyond logistics, our facilitator encouraged each person's unique process and suggested specific resources (books, podcasts, prompts, meditation techniques) tailored to where we were as individuals. Major props to Lawrence Barriner II for helping us grow through a thoughtful, supportive process.
Flexibility and Individual Expression
There is no single way to write a PTOP. Some of us integrated storytelling, others used bullets and note cards. Experimentation encouraged.
Built-In Iteration
From the start, we encouraged each other to treat our PTOPs as living documents — something we could revise, revisit, and refine over time. That mindset helped reduce pressure to get it “right” the first time and emphasized the value of ongoing reflection.
Going Deep & Trusting Each Other
Trust came from long sessions, activities, and space to show up as full people, not just professionals or students.
A Clear Process Arc
Our six sessions had a clear beginning, middle, and end, which helped give the process structure and feeling of advancement, without rigidity. We started by building trust, then moved into development and sharing, and ended with reflection and future visioning.
What We Might Do Differently
Build in More Time
Six group sessions felt like a strong foundation, but in retrospect, we wished for a bit more space between sessions to reflect, write, and revisit earlier ideas.
Clarify Upfront
At the outset, a few of us felt unclear on what a PTOP was or could be. Spending more time upfront aligning on what success might look like — for each individual — could have helped us feel more grounded and secure when it came time to share.
Plan for Post-Group Follow-Up
We found ourselves asking: What happens next? It would’ve helped to agree as a group on how (or whether) to stay in touch, revisit our PTOPs, or hold each other accountable after the formal sessions ended. We ultimately did this, but it took a while.