Kennewick students, Rantz offer teens tips on being less stressed

A group of inspiring Kennewick students at Tri-Tech Skills Center found out Tuesday that they won a national app development competition, beating out 1,000 other kids and earning $20,000 for the school.

Their app, according to the Tri City Herald, is to help teens combat stress or depression (and other serious, overwhelming feelings) and “includes a list of hotlines for students to call in an emergency, advice on how to talk to others and work through problems with them, push notifications with tips on how to get through the day, and even a journal feature where students type a note to themselves or even say it verbally and have it transcribed.”

Might I also offer some tips on how to be a little less stressed and depressed?* Though I’m just 32, I’ve noticed a significant difference in how kids are growing up now and I can see why they’re finding themselves emotionally overwhelmed.

First, my advice for parents and teachers: let these kids fail. Important life lessons are learned when you fail, the least of which is they experience not getting their way and not feeling like a unique snowflake, which is exactly what happens from time to time when they’re grown up.

Now, we’ve created a generation of kids who think they should get an award for showing up. We’re giving kids trophies for completing a sports season, but not winning. We’re giving awards for kids who try the hardest (even if they fail) or for entering a competition (even if they lost) or just for being special and unique. Why are we rewarding everything, including failure and mediocrity?

You’re creating a generation that doesn’t know how to accept defeat, move on from and cope with adversity.

Second, my advice for kids out there: understand you’ll fail. You’ll fail many, many, many times. You’ll get dumped, you’ll get an F, you’ll get fired or laid off, you’ll get into a fender bender, you’ll get a ticket, you’ll get lost, you’ll fall down, you’ll lose at a contest, you’ll get picked last, you won’t get picked at all, you’ll get teased, you’ll get called a name, you’ll get called out, you’ll not get called by the guy or girl you hope calls. Life is full of failures and the way you respond, react and cope will define how well you handle the successes.

Because in your life, you’ll also succeed. You’ll succeed many, many, many times. You’ll score the date with that person you have a crush on, you’ll ace that test, you’ll ace that interview and get that job, you’ll earn that bonus, you’ll win that contest, you’ll get picked first, and you will be celebrated.

If you can understand and be comfortable with life’s ups and downs, you’ll feel significantly better, you won’t get as depressed once you hit the real world, and you’ll feel considerably less stressed.

Also, just say no to drugs.

*This is not meant to advise people who are suffering from depression in need of medical attention. Know when to ask for help and seek it when appropriate.