Four Old College 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 midlifeKey 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 wayEpisode 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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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?

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 [email protected] and subscribe to be notified of future episodes.

Welcome to the eighth 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, February 9, 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: 00:50 Happy Friday  01:20 The South Orange Thrift Market, selling t-shirts for hundreds of dollars  04:30 Services for selling old clothes   ThredUp - https://www.thredup.com/ Poshmark - https://poshmark.com/ 05:15 Shoes and High Heels in our 40s Brands discussed: Anine Bing - https://www.aninebing.com/ Ivanka Trump - https://www.nordstrom.com/sr/ivanka-trump-shoes Jimmy Choo - https://us.jimmychoo.com/en/home Jessica Simpson - https://jessicasimpson.com/ Steve Madden - https://www.stevemadden.com/ Adidas Samba - https://www.adidas.com/us/samba   12:10 On to bras, bra tops, bralettes, going braless Brands discussed: Third love - https://www.thirdlove.com/ Felinas - https://www.felina.com/ Scarlett Blue https://www.skarlettblue.com/ Hanky Panky - https://www.hankypanky.com/   17:45 Talking about underwear…again Brands discussed: Target - https://www.target.com/   20:30 Jessica is in pajamas, Adrienne is dressed for a live stream news show 22:15 Adrienne tells the girls about her Farcaster news show 23:30 The importance of 4 old college friends for anthropology   24:25 Jessica tells the girls about her new personal project, shooting a mini doc about her elderly neighbors who make maple syrup in the Poconos   31:30 Deanna and Lauren discuss Only Fans.  Queuing up career advice for Lauren. 

Welcome to the seventh episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. We're back after about a 2 month hiatus with lots to catch up on. In this episode, recorded Friday January 12, 2024, we talk about Deanna's hoarding tendencies and what it was like moving houses after her divorce, Lauren's recent engagement to Greg, and updates on kids getting into college. 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!

Welcome to the sixth episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. In this episode recorded the Friday before Thanksgiving, November 17, we talk about our holiday plans, and then devolve into a discussion about learning finances after divorce, getting out of our comfort zones, UK vs US education systems and what we're grateful for. 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 Three old college friends, Jessica is missing, recovering from staying away for 48 hours 01:50 Just one drink, in a big glass 03:20 A big night out in Northern Jersey - at Neros, hot spot for the late 30s, 40s, 50s scene https://www.neros.com/ 05:10 Jessica joins us! And recounts her Savannah trip and airbnb host challenges 07:10 Pre-thanksgiving weekend plans, Stuart's family coming from the UK for Thanksgiving, getting ready to go to the infamous cabin 09:50 Deanna's Thanksgiving plans at the Lubers. 11:10 Adrienne's Thanksgiving plans, first one without her mom. 15:00 Lauren's Thanksgiving, off year, so without kids 17:00 Making all the decisions 17:25 Lauren tells her daughter to live with girlfriends and just find a man to have a baby with. What else should we teach our kids? Finances! 19:30 The best way to learn is by doing 21:15 Being married to an artist 22:50 Getting out of our box, aka get out of your comfort zone. UK vs US education systems. The Learning Game book by Ana Lorena Fabrega : https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Game-Teaching-Themselves-Challenge/dp/1804090093 29:20 Jessica plays the karma game to keep her juju good, while ex's send song lyrics Karma Police - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_Police Dealing with dead squirrels and live animals in the walls of the house 34:45 Wrap up, grateful for each other, happy thanksgiving

Welcome to the fifth episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. In this episode, recorded on October 27, 2023, we catch up on life, talk about how we make it work between kids, work, life, etc., and get into sleep caps, shower caps and underwear. 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: 01:00 Celebrating our fifth episode, starting a podcast is like painting a room 02:30 Jessica has her last day of work and excited to see her kids again 03:45 Leveling up in 2023 and coming out of the covid years 04:20 Doing a lot on top of a lot on top of a lot, no time to do anything 04:55 Deanna made a friend for Jessica 05:15 Working vicariously through Jessica who has the coolest job 06:30 Making friends with people who are a lot younger than us, Stu at the parent PTA nights, age shaming 9:30 We all offend something at some point 11:00 Lauren rejoins the pod after losing internet connection and getting kicked off the pod 12:10 We make it work, or do we? How do we get it all done? 14:15 Erica from soul cycle had some good advice: stop thinking about what you didn't do, and focus on what you got done, 16:55 Adrienne's in a good place 18:00 Are club and travel sports too big a time commitment? 22:50 Deanna wore a swimming cap in college 23:30 Jessica discovered a silk sleep cap 25:00 Get ready for our merch store 26:30 Shower caps and thong underwear 29:00 Hot grandmas and a quick subject change 29:50 Addison adding more money to her greenlight debit card, part-time jobs for teens 32:00 Deanna sold her house! 32:50 Getting closure and wrapping the pod

Welcome to the fourth episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, getting together to talk about life. In this episode, recorded on September 29, 2023, we talk about our career paths - from college to today. 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: 00:40 How's the weather? Why has there been so much rain this September? 02:00 Lauren prefers sweat over rain 03:10 Cold showers and cold therapy 05:40 Snow days vs. virtual school days 07:10 Deanna was almost a weather girl! 08:00 We reflect back on our life paths - what did we study in college and what did we end up doing career wise? 08:40 Adrienne's path: from environmental engineering to consulting to software development 14:30 Jessica's path: from restaurant management to global sailor to producing reality TV. Dad's advice about studying restaurant management "It's like a business degree but more fun" 19:45 Lauren's path: from majoring in "general science" to pre-dentistry to pharmaceutical drug rep to physical therapy. Realized Pharma sales was more sales than pharma, 9/11 changed her path 28:00 Deanna's path: applied early decision to Ithica but visited Penn State senior year and fell in love with it (lucky us!), the rest was history, studied speech pathology and had a straightforward path to speech pathologist 33:00 The role of our mothers/parents in how we chose a path 36:00 The pivot! 37:05 Grateful to all be in a place where we love our jobs. We all ended up actually enjoying doing what we do

Welcome to the third episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, and we're getting together to talk about life. In this episode, recorded on September 22, 2023, we talk about friendship - making new ones and keeping old ones. Visit our website https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/ to contact us or learn more. If you enjoyed the episode, please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review.  We appreciate it! Show Notes: 00:30 Taylor's Bat-Mitzvah, wild on the dance floor and shotskis 01:10 Jessica talks about her new job, running the overnight edit of The Circle for Netflix and why she looks tired at 10AM after not sleeping and living the nocturnal life. 02:45 Lauren is in Philly High School application hell 03:40 "Energy goes where focus flows" 04:45 When the algorithm makes school decisions 05:45 How do you get into high school if you get Cs? Grade inflation and anxiety. 08:00 Adrienne's back to school updates and denial of grief, needing to schedule time to cry. 09:20 Reconnecting with old college friends 10:20 How do you make new friends in your 30s and 40s. Do you let your freak flag fly with new people? 11:44 Small disruption and minor tech problems 13:00 Finding your people, choosing to let people in, Lauren tells Deanna not to be a rigid bitch 14:20 Germs. Who will you share a toothbrush with? 16:00 Getting social needs met - old school friends, local friends, family 16:30 Making friends on the internet. Adrienne is addicted to farcaster. 19:20 Online dating and online friendships 20:00 Jessica made work friends in her 30s but finding it harder in her 40s with young kids 23:00 Are your needs being met? 24:00 Darker side about work friends 27:00 Good byes and Deanna is selling her house!

Welcome to the second episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, and we're getting together to talk about life. This episode was recorded on August 31, 2023. Visit our website https://fouroldcollegefriends.com/ to contact us or learn more. If you enjoyed the episode, please support us by subscribing or leaving us a rating or review.  We appreciate it! Show notes: 00:00 Summer birthdays, the dark side of the 40s, corsets, midi-length and belt-length dresses 04:20 Summer recap, felt like a lifetime for some, flew by for others 05:20 When our kids start driving 07:35 Jessica got a job after 3 years of being out of work! Childcare when you leave for 6 weeks at a time. 09:55 How the writers' strike impacts reality TV 12:00 What we’re watching: Circle, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Shelter 13:40 Back to where it all began – Tri Delt at Penn State 15:30 The process of applying to high schools in Philadelphia 17:25 Raising kids in different places and different eras than where/when we grew up 21:40 Gap years 22:55 Jessica back to work (reprise)

Welcome to the first episode of Four Old College Friends. We're old college friends, now in our 40s, and we're getting together to talk about life.