StudyPals

Inspiration

Studying is often seen as a solitary activity, but learning together can be just as important—and often more effective. Whether it’s helping each other understand course material or bonding over exam stress, studying has the power to bring people together. StudyPals was created to make it easier for students to find one another, set up study sessions quickly, and focus less on logistics and more on building connections with fellow students.

What it does

StudyPals is a web platform that collects students’ information, including their current courses and availability, and matches them with other students who have similar schedules. The platform then displays potential study partners along with their contact information to help users easily connect.

How we built it

For the frontend, we focused on UI/UX design by first prototyping in Figma, then implementing the design using HTML and CSS. For the backend, we used Python with the Flask framework to handle data processing and matching logic.

Challenges we ran into

As beginners in web development, we faced several obstacles along the way. First, we had to quickly pick up new technical skills, which required us to adjust our expectations and work more realistically within our time constraints. We learned to adapt by switching programming languages when necessary, and navigating language barriers between frontend and backend. Additionally, coordinating and merging our individual contributions proved challenging, especially when connecting the frontend with the backend.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Despite being new to web development, we successfully built our first fully functioning creative project from scratch. We’re particularly proud of how we applied new skills, such as using Flask for backend development, and overcame obstacles without detailed instructions. Our ability to problem-solve and collaborate effectively allowed us to create something we can be proud of.

What we learned

This project helped us grow both technically and personally. We learned how to use Flask to manage backend logic, gained hands-on experience with databases, and improved our ability to work in a team. Beyond the technical skills, we also developed better collaboration practices, communication strategies, and how to approach problems more effectively as a team.

What's next for StudyPals

Next, we plan to improve the matching algorithm, add user accounts and messaging features, and enhance the overall design and usability of the platform.