Parent Confidential III: It Takes a Crew
It’s week 5 at the university where I work, and the bloom is off the rose.
I overhear students talking about upcoming exams. There is a hint of anxiety in their voices. The quiet questions hiding within their statements are:
What is the best way to study?
Am I really cut out for college?
Who can help me?
We’re at the point in the semester when the college road trip metaphor perfectly describes the first-year college journey.
Road Trip!
The College Road Trip is not a solo adventure but a packed suburban.
The student is in the driver seat. They are in control of the journey to be sure.
Yet, the rest of the crew is instrumental; each has unique expertise to offer.
Academic Advisor
The academic advisor is “clutch” in that they possess the map (aka program of study which details the degree requirements), suggesting alternate routes and quicker ways to the graduation destination.
Professors
Professors teach class and can be the ultimate planners, offering opportunities to take in great roadside attractions like attending a talk by a world-renowned speaker on a topic of interest.
Peers/Friends
Peers dial in the psych-up playlist while helping the driver respond to others on the road.
Parents
Parents hand up snacks and holler for when it is time for a rest stop, like coming home and rejuvenating over semester breaks.
Again, the crew in back, while having loads of suggestions, are not at the wheel. The student is the driver and ultimately, this is their road trip.
How to be the best crew member
Angela Duckworth (author of the best-selling book “Grit”) wrote in the Sept. 6, 2026 issue of The New York Times,
“Without exception, every high performer I’ve studied credits a host of supporters for success. Research has found that a willingness to ask for help is crucial to achievement.”
Quite simply, our job is to set up the expectation with the driver that they will need our help, and it is okay to ask for it.
More than okay, asking for help can become a student’s superpower.
Here’s why having a full suburban is necessary for the college road trip. Asking help from just anyone may not get a student to the desired destination (aka graduation).
Asking help from people with that area of expertise is the key.
Research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology has shown seeking help from professors and academic support staff positively influences students’ GPA. This is why going to a professor’s office hours is so valuable and should be on every student’s college map.
Asking for help with social anxiety, however, is likely outside of most professors’ expertise.
It is squarely within the expertise of a counselor working in the College Counseling Center.
Asking for help on studying for an upcoming exam, finding a study group for a tough course, or learning how to take better notes are perfect ways to make the most of the campus Learning Strategies Center.
The first several weeks of the college semester are jam-packed with opportunities and events to connect students with one another with the intention to strengthen students’ sense of campus belonging.
We’re coming into the academic crux of the term. It is time to invite students to look in the rear-view mirror at their college road trip crew and ask for their help to make the ride smoother.
Tricia Seifert is Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development at Montana State University. She also is the co-developer of the college success board game, Success Prints Crash Course.
The green cards in this blog post are part of the board game’s campus deck, which teaches players about the multitude of resources available on campuses to support student success.