One Less Thing to Stress About: Gay teens now have a college guide

It's college application season and teens are STRESSED OUT. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a report that takes parents to task over the unhealthy levels of stress that teens are being encouraged to take on.

In today’s pressure-cooker society, children and teens need to tap into their strengths, acquire specific skills to cope, recover from adversity, and be prepared for future challenges. They need to be resilient in order to succeed in life’s long haul.

Pressure and stress can lead anyone to shut down and retreat from the world. At worst, of course, it can lead to depression and even suicide.

That kind of stress is only compounded as parents flock to the bright candy-colored covers of U.S. News and World Reports lining the shelves of their favorite chain bookstores. They open them and find what? Stanford, Yale, Northwestern ... all yawning pits waiting for families to toss piles of cash into them. That is, families who can wedge their kids into the ranks of legacies and moneyed elite.

To disturb the perennial rankings of US News and World Reports, the editors of The Washington Monthly have put together their own list of college rankings. Their rankings for national universities and liberal arts colleges are here and here.

For gay, lesbian and other queer teenagers breaking into the "best colleges" can have to contend with bigotry and hatred aimed straight at their sense of self-esteem. It doesn't matter how they're ranked in the straight press. So, Alyson Books has released The Advocate Guide for LGBT Students. I know, they didn't include all the letters (what is it, LGBTQI now?), but they're trying to address that all-important transition to the four-year college that many of us choose to make.

Here in Minnesota we have 5 campuses with a range of 16-19 "Gay Point Average" out of 20, as reported by the Minneapolis StarTribune. The gayest? The sprawling University of Minnesota campus, of course.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Gay point average: 19

Fact: The nation's oldest fraternity for allied gay, bisexual and straight men, Delta Lambda Phi, has its largest chapter here.

Quote: "The university has been a champion of LGBT inclusiveness and progress."

Source: The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students

Now, take a deep breath, crack open a couple guides that are geared more toward your experiences and values and have a nice cool glass of water. I'll wait.

So, how are you feeling now? Still stressed? Well, to lower your stress load right this very minute, I suggest unwinding with this bit of fluffy goodness. Relax! It's just life.