commons

No swiping right, no corporate flex—just finding your campus Commons.

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Inspiration

Being a student can be overwhelming, especially when trying to find a sense of belonging in both academics and social life. Commons was created with the idea that connection should be effortless—just like how overlapping circles in a Venn diagram naturally find their shared space.

Our logo embodies this philosophy: two individuals, each unique in their own way, but with a common ground that brings them together. Whether you're looking for study partners, friends with shared interests, or a mentor to guide you, Commons helps you find those meaningful overlaps.

It’s not for swiping right, not for flexing your resume—just a space to foster mutual growth and connection.

What it does

Commons is a web app that helps students find and connect with peers in their academic journey. By creating a profile with details like major, current semester classes, interests, and year standing, users get recommendations of other “commons” on their campus who have similar profiles. They can send connection requests, find study partners, and expand their academic & professional network effortlessly.

Additionally, Commons includes a mentor feature, allowing users to also opt-in as mentors while signing up. This enables newer students to find experienced peers who can help them navigate university life, from choosing the right classes to career guidance. With this feature, we aim to foster a supportive community where students can learn from and support one another.

Key features

  1. Campus-Specific Sign-up: Requires a .edu email to ensure a trusted, university-exclusive network
  2. Advanced Filtering Options: Search for peers based on major, semester classes, class standing, and mentor availability for more precise connections
  3. AI-Powered Matching: Instead of basic course matching, an AI-based compatibility algorithm (using Gemini API) refines recommendations and improves matches dynamically
  4. Built-In Messaging System: Enables seamless communication between connected students for study coordination and networking within our platform

How we built it

  • React (Frontend): We used React to create an interactive and dynamic user interface, allowing students to easily navigate, filter connections, and manage their profiles in real time
  • Node.js & Express.js (Backend): The backend is powered by Node.js and Express.js, handling authentication, API requests, and user matching efficiently while ensuring smooth server-side operations
  • MongoDB (Database): All user data, including profiles, classes, and mentor preferences, is stored in MongoDB, providing flexible and fast data retrieval
  • Figma (Design & Prototyping): The UI/UX of Commons was designed using Figma, allowing us to visualize and refine the user experience before development
  • Tailwind CSS (Styling): Tailwind CSS was used to design a clean, minimal, and responsive UI that enhances user experience while keeping development efficient
  • Gemini API (AI-Powered Matching): We integrated the Gemini API to enhance user matching, leveraging AI to suggest the most relevant peer connections based on shared profile points

Challenges we ran into

  • Designing an intuitive UI/UX that makes it easy for students to filter connections, send requests, and communicate without feeling overwhelmed was a challenge, especially with multiple filtering and AI-based recommendation options
  • Ensuring smooth communication between the React frontend and the Node.js backend was tricky, especially for real-time features like messaging and AI-powered matching

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Our name, logo and overall intuitive and visually appealing UI
  • Implementing real-time database storage for smooth user interactions

What we learned

Our biggest takeaway this hackathon was the power of flexibility and incremental development. As we built Commons, we realized that some ideas were more feasible than others, and certain features needed to be rethought based on practicality and usability. Instead of trying to build everything at once, we focused on implementing the core functionality first, allowing room for future improvements.

What's next for commons

  • Mobile application: Expanding Commons into a mobile app, making it even easier for students to connect on the go.
  • Group messaging: Beyond one-on-one conversations, Commons will introduce group messaging, allowing students to create study groups, course-specific chats, and mentorship circles directly within the platform
  • Icebreaker gamification: To make initial interactions less awkward and more engaging, Commons will introduce a fun icebreaker game when users connect for the first time. Whether it’s random trivia, study-related prompts, or a quick challenge, this feature will encourage natural conversations and help students break the ice effortlessly
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