What can we learn from the ways in which others manage feelings of pessimism, overwhelm, or loss?

In collaboration with the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life (ORSEL), we have developed a unique conversation experience which guides students through meditative reflection and personal sharing around the prompt: “What is your guiding light?”

The Questions We Asked

What is your light?
When do you find yourself going back to this?
Are there times where this hasn’t been enough? What does get you through?

The Answers We Received

Students often struggled with the question of missing opportunities or moving in the wrong direction and leaving something valuable behind.
Participants turned towards their loved ones for support, but also noted how hard it was to be a steadfast support and still receive the help they need personally.

Our Partners

Christina English, Program Coordinator, ORSEL
Maria Finkelmeier, MF Dynamics

Christina English, Program Coordinator, ORSEL

JS Needed

"There were a lot of people that went into the chapel that had never been in there before and were really excited to, like, be invited in. So that was, I think, a huge success for us."

Next Steps

Recordings were captured at the end of the experience, and were shared with Maria Finkelmeier, of MF Dynamics, who worked with ORSEL to create a follow-up event for those unable to join initial conversations. On October 20, 2025, dozens of passersby were able to listen to our conversation highlights interspersed with a beautiful percussion performance, share a warm hot chocolate, and talk about what gives them light as the nights get colder and the semester becomes more stressful.

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Would you like to hear some of the publicly shared stories? Visit our archive: https://chapelstories.ccc-mit.org/gallery

Get Involved

Check out our opportunities, fill out the interest form to pitch your own project, or email realtalk@mit.edu with questions! We would love to hear from you.