Four Old College Friends

Four Old College Friends
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Society & Culture

Four Old College Friends is a podcast documenting what it's like to be women, in our 40s, in the 2020s. We're Adrienne, Lauren, Deanna and Jessica and we've been friends for over 25 years. We've had four different life paths, different careers and jobs. We have 9 kids between the 4 of us. And we're getting together to talk. Because adulting is hard, we might as well have some fun.

  1. 04/08/2025

    E15: Wrinkles, Vagina Cream, and Grief: Aging Unfiltered with Friends

    Welcome to the 15th episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on Friday March 21, 2025. In this episode, the four college friends get real about the chaos and comedy of midlife. What starts as a lighthearted chat about perimenopause and bizarre skincare routines (yes, including that cream) soon shifts into deeper waters, as the group opens up about personal losses and how they’re navigating grief. It’s raw, silly, and unexpectedly comforting—the kind of conversation only longtime friends can have. From laugh-out-loud moments to meaningful reflections, this one’s for anyone trying to age with a little grace and a lot of group text support. What’s Inside This Episode: That time someone recommended vagina cream… for your faceHonest talk about perimenopause and feeling invisibleThe emotional toll of losing loved ones—and how each of them copesCelebrating aging, resisting it, and everything in betweenFriendship as the through-line in the chaos of midlife Key Takeaways: Aging isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, mental, and sometimes really funnyGrief doesn’t follow a script, but friends can help you write your way through itSharing the uncomfortable stuff makes everyone feel less aloneThere’s no “right way” to deal with midlife—just your way Episode Highlights: Perimenopause, vaginas, and wrinkle panicSkincare gone rogue: when anti-aging advice gets weirdShifting into deeper territory—how each friend has processed recent lossesThe comfort of a long friendship during life’s hardest seasons

  2. 12/05/2024

    E14: Manifest

    Welcome to the 14th episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on the Friday before Thanksgiving, on November 22, 2024. Episode Summary: In this lively pre-Thanksgiving episode, Adrienne, Jessica, Lauren, and Deanna discuss Cambridge's Word of the Year manifest, try to figure out the meaning of new slang terms like rizz and glaze, and brainstorm money-making product ideas. What You'll Hear: Manifestation - why manifest was chosen as the Word of the Year, exploring its ties to meditation, Olympians, and goal-setting trends. - how mindset and language shape reality, featuring wisdom from The Secret and Atomic Habits. Pop Culture Vocabulary -The team deciphers trendy words like "Riz" and "Glaze" while trying to figure out their meanings. -Shoutouts to TikTok influencers like AJ, Big Justice and Rizzler. Million-Dollar Baby Ideas -A portable, foldable baby-changing table for dads on the go. -Swaddle blankets with built-in clips to combat windy stroller walks. -A contraption that encourages lifelong "tummy time" Pivoting and New Directions -Jessica hints at an exciting career pivot she’s exploring and the thrill of being "in the flow." -Adrienne reflects on her podcast journey -Deanna and Lauren tease their book Thanksgiving Prep & Life Reflections -The team shares their Thanksgiving plans and stresses the importance of being the “type of person” who prioritizes connection, even when life gets busy. Quotable Moments - “Energy flows where focus goes.” - “Ideas are a dime a dozen—it’s all about execution.” Listener Challenge What are you the type of person to do? Share your intentions using #ManifestationMoment and tag us on Instagram to be featured in our next episode We're excited to feature music from Chic Bangs. Visit https://chicbangs.com/ to learn more. Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. Please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review. We appreciate it! And let us know what you think of this episode!

  3. 11/21/2024

    E13: Catching Up with Stacey: Following Her Path from College to Today

    In this special episode of Four Old College Friends, Adrienne and Jessica sit down with their first-ever guest, Stacey, an old college friend. Together, they take a deep dive into Stacey’s journey from the late 90s to today, reflecting on her career pivots, life events, and lessons learned along the way. This episode was recorded on Thursday November 14, 2024 What’s Inside This Episode: How Stacey chose her college major and landed her first job as a guidance counselor. Navigating grad school, career crossroads, and changes in the education system over time. A look back at her time in New York City as a school counselor at the Professional Performing Arts School. How shifts in personal priorities and systemic changes in education led Stacey to explore new paths. Stacey’s pivot into an unexpected career as an on-air guest host for QVC, sharing behind-the-scenes insights and the challenges of staying relevant in a changing industry. The reality of midlife career pivots and the struggles of balancing passion, family, and financial needs. A heartfelt discussion on women’s careers, societal expectations, and the lack of resources to support professional reinvention. Key Takeaways: Embracing career shifts: Stacey’s journey from guidance counseling to live TV hosting shows how following your interests can lead to surprising opportunities. The impact of systemic changes on education and its professionals. Why mid-career pivots are challenging, especially for women balancing family and personal fulfillment. The importance of adaptability, resourcefulness, and staying connected to what excites you. Episode Highlights: Stacey’s early dream of becoming a guidance counselor and her path through grad school. How she landed at QVC and learned the art of authentic, unscripted selling. The challenges of staying relevant in the era of social media and how authenticity plays a crucial role. Personal reflections on the pressures of maintaining careers while raising families. Whether you’re considering your own career pivot or just love hearing stories about navigating life’s twists and turns, this episode offers a candid, relatable conversation packed with insights and laughter. 🎧 Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes of Four Old College Friends 📩 Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. 🎵 Featured track: Focus by Chic Bangs. Visit https://chicbangs.com/ to learn more. And let us know what you think of this episode!

  4. 11/02/2024

    E12: Tooth Sprains, Feet Pics, and the Value of Self-Worth

    Welcome to the 12th episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on Friday, November 1, 2024. This week, the topic of the hour was: “What would you say if your college sophomore called to ask if they could sell feet pics for $1,000?” The question had us diving deep into some big themes around independence, self-worth, and the pressures young people face today. When is sexual capital empowering, and when is it limiting? We explore how young women can find quick validation and even financial gain through their looks and sexuality but question the sustainability of relying on that alone. Thinking long-term: If physical appeal is a resource that naturally wanes over time, how do we help our kids invest in skills and self-confidence that don’t fade? We talk about focusing on education and practical career paths, especially those that open up lasting independence. Raising strong, self-reliant adults: While it’s not always easy to balance guidance with freedom, we discuss our own hopes (and challenges!) around teaching young people to find lasting, internal validation without squashing their independence. Tune in as we swap stories, challenge each other's perspectives, and share some laughs along the way! We're excited to feature music from Chic Bangs. Visit https://chicbangs.com/ to learn more. Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. Please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review. We appreciate it! And let us know what you think of this episode!

  5. 09/27/2024

    E11: The Anxious Generation (aka the clock episode)

    Welcome to the 11th episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on Friday, September 6, 2024. After not recording for a few months, we spend the first 7 minutes catching up about back to school, then we talk about how technology is affecting our kids' mental health, how worried we should be when we send our kids out into the world, and we wrap up with some intentions for the school year. We're excited to feature music from Chic Bangs. Visit https://chicbangs.com/ to learn more. Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. If you enjoy the episode, please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review. We appreciate it! Show Notes: 00:30 How is everyone doing with the kids back in school? Jessica has 2 girls in elementary school, 2nd and 4th grade. Lauren moved from downtown Philly to the Jersey suburbs and oldest started high school in the suburbs while her younger one is finishing middle school in the city. Deanna's oldest started college at our alma mater (We Are!) with her younger in middle school. Adrienne's oldest started college at a PSU rival with two younger ones at home 05:45 What team do you cheer for when your kid goes to a rival of your old school? 07:30 We talk about schools and technology, including cell phone bans, the specific policies our schools are implementing. and our feelings about them. What technology does your school provide - chromebooks, macbooks, PCs, and do you have to pay for them? There are too many distractions in the classroom 15:00 The Anxious Generation by Jonathon Haidt 16:20 - Giving kids freedom and independence. Jessica sends her kid out with a clock! If your 4th grader goes out without a phone and has an emergency… are you more or less inclined to give her a phone in the future? Is the world safe or dangerous? When do kids become independent? 23:45 Prepping for the apocalypse. Call Cosette or Alex. 27:20 Ending with one question: what are your goals for the school year? Lauren's is to survive. Deanna's is to play more pickleball and be present in the moments. Jessica wants to work more. And Adrienne wants to push independence in school work and spend quality time with Cici. 33:00 Going out with Chic Bangs's song Focus. Enjoy!

  6. 05/31/2024

    E10: Feelings about sending kids to college, embracing the cringe, and start of summer

    Welcome to the tenth episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on Friday, May 24, 2024. Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. If you enjoy the episode, please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review. We appreciate it! Show notes: 00:30 Happy Friday of Memorial Day Weekend! Are you ready for summer?  01:20 The big stressors in life - getting married, divorced, moving and having children. Are we done being a parent when we send our kids off to college?  02:10 Adrienne & Deana share their feelings about their kids going to college.  04:30 We met in college, now we have kids going to college. How is this possible?   06:05 Our identities as mothers  08:45 Deanna got perspective this week running past Beta Sig on East Fairmont   9:35 The PSU reunion that didn't happen, Lauren looks like she's in college  10:15 End of school year stresses and trying to stay in the moment  12:35 Cosette's piano lessons, learning the Billy Eilish Barbie song - What Was I Made For https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML0zd8UAuq8 We discuss our musical talents (and lack thereof) and what we were exposed to as children   15:10 Deanna tells us about her new hobby with a show and tell. It's not only fans.  It's pickleball.  Friend Sara told her to learn pickleball so she has friends in the old age home.   We then make plans to live together in the old age home. 19:00 Is memorial day weekend the start of the summer? Or is it when school ends? When does summer start?  20:30 Marlie and Alex's internships and how that’s going  25:10 Let's make some summer plans IRL  25:50 Shoutout Alysha Brand, Amanda's friend who is a real estate agent and got Deanna a shore rental in the past https://www.instagram.com/alysha_sells/ 26:30 New rule: No bringing up exes on our show 27:30 Jessica is going to Panama this summer to work on Deal or No Deal!  28:50 A teaser for a survivor show competition Adrienne is doing.  Correction: It's called Castout not Outcast. Adrienne admits to never having seen survivor

  7. 05/14/2024

    E9: Catching up after a long break, Jessica fangirling on Notion, Eyesight in our 40s, and whether not letting your kids watch YouTube is a good rule

    Welcome to the ninth episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on Friday, April 26, 2024. Visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to contact us or learn more. If you enjoy the episode, please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review. We appreciate it! Show notes: 00:30 We're back after a few months off, starting with a quick recap of where we left off: Deanna was moving into a new house and finalizing her divorce, Lauren was figuring out Philly high schools and recently got engaged, Jess was doing new work stuff and "in it" with the little kids. 01:50 Alex's college decision and making the Wisconsin cheerleading team 03:40 Update on the big PSU reunion weekend and our plan to do record a huge 4 old college friends show with all our old friends 04:40 Jessica professes her love for Notion; We discuss using Notion for managing life and work tasks and Jessica tells us she applied for a job at Notion. 06:25 Jessica does not love using her phone, a little foreshadow into the topic at the end of the show about technology. 06:55 Eyesight and unavoidably needing reading glasses in our 40s 09:30 "This has been the longest life ever." The days are long but the years are short. Cliche but true. 10:20 Jessica recounts her stressful visit to Spain to see her husband Stu with her 2 little kids. Followed by a conversation about whether we think it's hard or easy to travel internationally with kids. 15:25 Train your kids by giving them lists! Everyone needs a friend who is camp counselor, aka the friend group leader. We 3 our camp counselor Deanna and her lists. 17:05 Call back to Notion and Jess's job application. Notion needs help reaching businesses; Jessica can help them reach creatives. Notion, give Jessica a call! 19:30 Being early adopters and putting 4 Old College Friends onchain, explaining NFTs...again…and failing miserably. 22:00 Adrienne predicts the entire internet will be built on top of blockchains in 10 years from now 22:35 Deanna is reminded of the show Silicon Valley, which reminds us we need to watch Jess's Show The Circle Season 6 on Netflix. More show recommendations: Fallout on Amazon Prime. Three Body Problem on Netflix. One Day. Westworld 26:41 - Book Recommendations: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano But no one remembers anything - we read a book and then forget what it was about. S/O to Nicole Ritchie's Instagram for book recommendations. The Greatest Night in Pop on Netflix about the making of We Are the World. 28:30 - More talk about memory problems and a discussion about whether your brain comes back when your kids get older or when you send them away to camp. 30:15 Exploring if technology is good or bad. And Jessica asks a big question: can she make "no YouTube" a household rule and what does that mean for her kids when everyone else is watching YouTube?

  8. 02/23/2024

    Bonus: Deanna's daughter Marlie stops by to chat

    After we recorded our last episode, Deanna's 17 year old daughter Marlie stopped by to chat. Marlie tells us how our social media accounts are doing and gives us feedback on our podcast. Send questions or comments to fouroldcollegefriends@gmail.com and subscribe to be notified of future episodes.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

Four Old College Friends is a podcast documenting what it's like to be women, in our 40s, in the 2020s. We're Adrienne, Lauren, Deanna and Jessica and we've been friends for over 25 years. We've had four different life paths, different careers and jobs. We have 9 kids between the 4 of us. And we're getting together to talk. Because adulting is hard, we might as well have some fun.

Information

  • Creator
    Four Old College Friends
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Four Old College Friends
  • Show Website
    Four Old College Friends