StudyBuddy

Inspiration

StudyBuddy was inspired by a common college problem: students often need help but do not know the right person in their class to ask. While AI can be useful, it cannot always replace a peer who can explain a concept differently or work through a problem alongside you.

What it does

StudyBuddy connects students in the same course through Course Hubs, focused Study Requests, and small private Study Pods. Students can chat, share questions, organize tasks, and choose to collaborate by text, online, or in person.

How we built it

We built StudyBuddy as a universal TypeScript, React Native, and Expo application that works on both desktop web and mobile devices. We used Supabase to store course, request, Pod, message, and task data, while Bolt, GitHub, and VS Code helped us build and manage the project.

Challenges we ran into

We faced issues getting Expo Go to run the project correctly on physical phones, which required us to troubleshoot our mobile configuration. We also had to solve live-message refreshing and ensure each newly created Study Pod received its own private group chat.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud that we created a polished multi-user experience rather than just a static prototype. Our app connects Study Requests, Pods, messaging, shared tasks, and privacy-aware availability into one understandable workflow.

What we learned

We learned how to build a cross-platform application, connect a frontend to a live database, and support real-time collaboration. We also learned the importance of privacy-aware design, especially when working with student schedules and class information.

What's next for StudyBuddy

Next, we want to add complete student authentication, notifications for new matches and messages, and more refined matching recommendations. We also hope to expand StudyBuddy beyond Cal Poly so more students can find academic support that fits their needs.