diff --git a/client/src/App.tsx b/client/src/App.tsx
index c0dc73e..bf125c9 100644
--- a/client/src/App.tsx
+++ b/client/src/App.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useAuthContext } from './context/AuthContext';
 import jwtDecode from 'jwt-decode';
+import API from './util/API';
 
 // pages, ui, components, styles
 import Subscriptions from './components/pages/Subscriptions/Subscriptions';
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ import { TokenType } from './util/types';
 import './sass/App.scss';
 
 function App() {
-  const { setUser, setToken } = useAuthContext();
+  const { setUser, token, setToken } = useAuthContext();
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (document.cookie) {
@@ -30,7 +31,11 @@ function App() {
       setToken(document.cookie.split("=")[1]);
       setUser(extractedToken.user);
     }
-  }, []);
+  }, [document.cookie]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    token && API.Settings.setToken(token);
+  }, [token])
 
   return (
     <BrowserRouter>
diff --git a/client/src/components/pages/AddRecipe.tsx b/client/src/components/pages/AddRecipe.tsx
index 9cd599b..792e07e 100644
--- a/client/src/components/pages/AddRecipe.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/pages/AddRecipe.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const AddRecipe = () => {
 
     const getFormState = useCallback((data: IRecipe) => {
         setInput(data);
-    }, [])
+    }, [input])
 
     const handleCreate = () => {
         for (let field of Object.keys(input)) {
@@ -28,20 +28,6 @@ const AddRecipe = () => {
             }
         })
     }, [authContext])
-    
-    useEffect(() => {
-        input.authoruserid && setForm(
-            new Form<IRecipe>({
-                parent: "AddRecipe",
-                keys: ["name", "preptime", "course", "cuisine", "ingredients", "description"],
-                labels: ["Recipe Name:", "Prep Time:", "Course:", "Cuisine:", "Ingredients:", "Description:"],
-                dataTypes: ['text', 'text', 'custom picker', 'custom picker', 'custom picker', 'TINYMCE'],
-                initialState: input,
-                getState: getFormState,
-                richTextInitialValue: "<p>Enter recipe details here!</p>"
-            }).mount()
-        )
-    }, [input.authoruserid])
 
     useEffect(() => {
         console.log(input);
@@ -53,7 +39,18 @@ const AddRecipe = () => {
             <Divider />
 
             <Panel>
+                <Form parent={input} _config={{
+                    parent: "AddRecipe",
+                    keys: ["name", "preptime", "course", "cuisine", "ingredients", "description"],
+                    labels: ["Recipe Name:", "Prep Time:", "Course:", "Cuisine:", "Ingredients:", "Description:"],
+                    dataTypes: ['text', 'text', 'custom picker', 'custom picker', 'custom picker', 'TINYMCE'],
+                    initialState: input,
+                    getState: getFormState,
+                    richTextInitialValue: "<p>Enter recipe details here!</p>"
+                }} />
+
                 { form || <h2>Loading...</h2> }
+
                 <Button onClick={handleCreate}>Create Recipe!</Button>
             </Panel>
         </Page>
diff --git a/client/src/components/pages/Login.tsx b/client/src/components/pages/Login.tsx
index 0fe25bd..4ad816a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/pages/Login.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/pages/Login.tsx
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ import API from "../../util/API";
 export default function Login() {
     const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
     const redirect = params.get("redirect");
-    const { user, setUser } = useContext(AuthContext);
-    const [form, setForm] = useState<JSX.Element>();
+    const { user, setToken } = useContext(AuthContext);
 
     // setup and local state
     const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -25,11 +24,12 @@ export default function Login() {
     const handleLogin = async () => {
         if (!input.email || !input.password) return;
         const result = await new API.Auth().login(input);
-        console.log(result);
 
-        // const { data, ok } = await attemptLogin(input);
-        // if (ok) setUser(data);
-        // navigate(`/${redirect ?? ''}`);
+        // setting token will trigger ui update
+        setToken(result.token);
+
+        // if there is a redirect, go there, else go home
+        navigate(`/${redirect ?? ''}`);
     }
 
     // check for logged in user and mount form
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@ export default function Login() {
         if (user) navigate('/');
     }, [])
 
-    useEffect(() => {
-        console.log(input);
-    }, [getFormState])
-
     return (
         <Page>
             <h1>Hello! Nice to see you again.</h1>
@@ -54,7 +50,7 @@ export default function Login() {
                     dataTypes: Object.keys(input),
                     initialState: input,
                     getState: getFormState
-                } as FormConfig<typeof input>} />
+                }} />
 
                 <Button onClick={handleLogin}>Log In</Button>
 
diff --git a/client/src/components/pages/Profile.tsx b/client/src/components/pages/Profile.tsx
index 73077a6..d319d30 100644
--- a/client/src/components/pages/Profile.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/pages/Profile.tsx
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ export default function Profile() {
     return (
         <Protect redirect="profile">
             <div className="profile-authenticated">
-                <h1>{user?.firstname}'s Profile</h1>
-                <p>Things and stuff!</p>
+                <h1>{user && user.firstname}'s Profile</h1>
                 <Friends />
             </div>
         </Protect>
diff --git a/client/src/components/pages/Register/aboutyou.tsx b/client/src/components/pages/Register/aboutyou.tsx
index 3b6ad87..05865ce 100644
--- a/client/src/components/pages/Register/aboutyou.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/pages/Register/aboutyou.tsx
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import { RegisterVariantType, VariantLabel } from ".";
 import { useAuthContext } from "../../../context/AuthContext";
 import { IUser, IUserAuth } from "../../../schemas";
 import { attemptLogin, attemptRegister } from "../../../util/apiUtils";
+import API from "../../../util/API";
 import { Button, Page, Panel } from "../../ui";
 import Divider from "../../ui/Divider";
-import Form, { FormConfig } from "../../ui/Form";
+import Form from "../../ui/Form";
 
 const blankUser: IUser = {
     firstname: '',
@@ -20,51 +21,31 @@ const blankUser: IUser = {
 }
 
 const AboutYou: RegisterVariantType = ({ transitionDisplay }) => {
+    const auth = new API.Auth();
     const navigate = useNavigate();
-    const authContext = useAuthContext();
-    const [form, setForm] = useState<JSX.Element>(<p key={v4()}>Loading content...</p>);
+    const { user, setToken } = useAuthContext();
     const [input, setInput] = useState<IUser>(blankUser);
-    const [regSuccess, setRegSuccess] = useState<any>();
 
     const getFormState = useCallback((received: IUser) => {
         setInput(received);
     }, []);
 
     useEffect(() => {
-        if (authContext.user) navigate('/');
-    }, [authContext]);
+        if (user) navigate('/');
+    }, [user]);
 
     async function handleRegister() {
-        const res = await attemptRegister(input);
+        const res = await auth.register(input);
         if (res.ok) {
+            setTimeout(async () => {
+                const result = await auth.login(input);
+                setToken(result.token);
+            }, 750);
+
             transitionDisplay(VariantLabel.InitialCollection, input);
         }
     }
 
-    async function unwrapLogin() {
-        const data: IUserAuth = { email: input.email, password: input.password || "" }
-        const login = await attemptLogin(data);
-        if (login) {
-            authContext.user = login.user;
-        }
-        navigate('/');
-    }
-
-    useEffect(() => {
-        setForm(new Form<IUser>({
-            parent: "register",
-            keys: ['firstname', 'lastname', 'handle', 'email', 'password'],
-            initialState: input,
-            labels: ['First Name', 'Last Name', 'Handle', 'Email', "Password"],
-            dataTypes: ['text', 'text', 'text', 'email', 'password'],
-            getState: getFormState
-        }).mount());
-    }, [])
-
-    useEffect(() => {
-        if (regSuccess) unwrapLogin();
-    }, [regSuccess])
-
     return (
         <Page>
             <h1>Hi! Thanks for being here.</h1>
@@ -74,7 +55,16 @@ const AboutYou: RegisterVariantType = ({ transitionDisplay }) => {
             <h2>Tell us a bit about yourself:</h2>
 
             <Panel extraStyles="form-panel two-columns">
-                { form || <h2>Loading...</h2> }
+
+                <Form parent={input} _config={{
+                    parent: "register",
+                    keys: ['firstname', 'lastname', 'handle', 'email', 'password'],
+                    initialState: input,
+                    labels: ['First Name', 'Last Name', 'Handle', 'Email', "Password"],
+                    dataTypes: ['text', 'text', 'text', 'email', 'password'],
+                    getState: getFormState
+                }} />
+
                 <Button onClick={handleRegister}>Register</Button>
             </Panel>
         </Page>
diff --git a/client/src/components/pages/Register/collection.tsx b/client/src/components/pages/Register/collection.tsx
index 5a41012..70be071 100644
--- a/client/src/components/pages/Register/collection.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/pages/Register/collection.tsx
@@ -3,33 +3,23 @@ import { RegisterVariantType, VariantLabel } from ".";
 import { useNow } from "../../../hooks/useNow";
 import { ICollection, IUser, IUserAuth } from "../../../schemas";
 import { attemptLogin, createNewCollection } from "../../../util/apiUtils";
+import API from "../../../util/API";
 import { Button, Divider, Page, Panel } from "../../ui";
 import TextField from "../../ui/TextField";
+import { useAuthContext } from "../../../context/AuthContext";
 
 const InitialCollection: RegisterVariantType = ({ transitionDisplay, input }) => {
+    const { user, setUser } = useAuthContext();
     const [collectionName, setCollectionName] = useState<string>();
     const [view, setView] = useState<JSX.Element>(<Page><h1>Loading...</h1></Page>);
-    const [user, setUser] = useState<IUser>();
     const now = useNow();
 
-    async function unwrapLogin(data: IUser) {
-        const userInfo: IUserAuth = { email: data.email, password: data.password! }
-        const login = await attemptLogin(userInfo);
-        setUser(login.user);
-    }
-
-    useEffect(() => {
-        if (input) {
-            setTimeout(() => {
-                unwrapLogin(input);
-            }, 750);
-        }
-    }, [])
+    const collectionAPI = new API.Collection();
 
     const handleClick = async () => {
         if (!user) return;
         const collection: ICollection = {
-            name: collectionName || (user.firstname + "'s Collection"),
+            name: collectionName ?? (user.firstname + "'s Collection"),
             active: true,
             ismaincollection: true,
             ownerid: user.id!.toString(),
@@ -39,7 +29,7 @@ const InitialCollection: RegisterVariantType = ({ transitionDisplay, input }) =>
 
         console.log(collection);
 
-        const result = await createNewCollection(collection);
+        const result = await collectionAPI.post(collection);
         console.log(result);
         if (result) transitionDisplay(VariantLabel.AddFriends);
     }
@@ -58,7 +48,8 @@ const InitialCollection: RegisterVariantType = ({ transitionDisplay, input }) =>
                         <Divider />
                         <h3>What would you like to call your main collection?</h3>
 
-                        <TextField onChange={(e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => setCollectionName(e.target.value)} placeholder={user.firstname + 's Collection'} />
+                        {/* <TextField onChange={(e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => setCollectionName(e.target.value)} placeholder={user.firstname + 's Collection'} /> */}
+                        <input type="text" onChange={(e) => setCollectionName(e.target.value)} placeholder={user.firstname + 's Collection'}></input>
                     </Panel>
 
                     <Button onClick={handleClick}>Next</Button>
diff --git a/client/src/components/ui/Navbar/variants.tsx b/client/src/components/ui/Navbar/variants.tsx
index e76694c..923582d 100644
--- a/client/src/components/ui/Navbar/variants.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/ui/Navbar/variants.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import API from "../../../util/API";
 import { NavbarType } from "../../../util/types";
 import { Button, Dropdown } from '..'
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useAuthContext } from "../../../context/AuthContext";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ const LoggedIn = () => {
         navigate(payload);
     }
 
+    useEffect(() => {
+        console.log(user);
+    }, [])
+
     return (
         <div>
             <div id="navbar">
@@ -47,7 +51,7 @@ const LoggedIn = () => {
                     <a onClick={() => navigate('/')}>RECIPIN</a>
                 </div>
                 <div className="navbar-block">
-                    <p>Hi, {user?.firstname}.</p>
+                    <p>Hi, {user && user.firstname}.</p>
                     <span id="search-icon"></span>
                     <Button onClick={() => handleUIChange("SEARCH")}>Search</Button>
                     <Button onClick={() => handleUIChange("ACTIONS")}>Actions</Button>
diff --git a/client/src/components/ui/Widgets/FriendSearchWidget.tsx b/client/src/components/ui/Widgets/FriendSearchWidget.tsx
index 101c716..e2ec89b 100644
--- a/client/src/components/ui/Widgets/FriendSearchWidget.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/ui/Widgets/FriendSearchWidget.tsx
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ import { IUser } from "../../../schemas";
 import { TextField, UserCard } from "..";
 import { v4 } from "uuid";
 import { getAllUsers } from "../../../util/apiUtils";
+import API from "../../../util/API";
 
 const FriendSearchWidget: FC<{}> = () => {
     const [searchTerm, setSearchTerm] = useState<string>();
     const [userPool, setUserPool] = useState<IUser[]>([]);
     const [friendResults, setFriendResults] = useState<IUser[]>([]);
 
+    const users = new API.User();
+
     // this isn't really working right now i don't think
     const handleRequestSent = useCallback((targetid: string | number) => {
         setUserPool((prev: IUser[]) => {
@@ -23,7 +26,7 @@ const FriendSearchWidget: FC<{}> = () => {
     // load available user pool on mount
     useEffect(() => {
         (async function() {
-            const result = await getAllUsers();
+            const result = await users.getAll();
             if (result) setUserPool(result);
         })();
     }, [])
diff --git a/client/src/util/API.ts b/client/src/util/API.ts
index 5265001..f820f16 100644
--- a/client/src/util/API.ts
+++ b/client/src/util/API.ts
@@ -3,57 +3,61 @@ import { IUser, IUserAuth, IFriendship, IRecipe, IIngredient, ICollection, IGroc
 import { default as _instance } from "./axiosInstance";
 
 module API {
-    const APISTRING = import.meta.env.APISTRING || "http://localhost:8080";
+    export class Settings {
+        private static APISTRING = import.meta.env.APISTRING || "http://localhost:8080";
+        private static token?: string;
+
+        public static getAPISTRING() {
+            return Settings.APISTRING;
+        }
+
+        public static getToken() {
+            return Settings.token;
+        }
+
+        public static setToken(newToken: string) {
+            Settings.token = newToken;
+        }
+    }
 
     abstract class RestController<T> {
         protected instance = _instance;
         protected endpoint: string;
-        protected token?: string;
         protected headers?: any
 
-        constructor(endpoint: string, token?: string) {
+        constructor(endpoint: string) {
             this.endpoint = endpoint;
-            this.token = token;
 
-            if (token) {
+            if (Settings.getToken()) {
                 this.headers = {
                     "Content-Type": "application/json",
-                    "Authorization": ("Bearer " + token)
+                    "Authorization": ("Bearer " + Settings.getToken())
                 };
             }
         }
 
         async getAll() {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
             const response = await this.instance.get(this.endpoint, this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
 
         async getByID(id: string) {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
             const response = await this.instance.get(this.endpoint + "/" + id, this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
 
-        async postOne(data: T) {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
+        async post(data: T) {
+            console.log(data);
             const response = await this.instance.post(this.endpoint, data, this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
 
         async put(id: string, data: T | Partial<T>) {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
-            const response = await this.instance.put(this.endpoint + "/" + id, data, this.headers);
+            const response = await this.instance.put(this.endpoint + "/" + id, JSON.stringify(data), this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
 
         async delete(id: string) {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
             const response = await this.instance.delete(this.endpoint + '/' + id, this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ module API {
 
     export class Auth {
         private instance = _instance;
-        private endpoint = APISTRING + "/auth";
+        private endpoint = Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/auth";
 
         async login(data: IUserAuth | Partial<IUser>) {
             try {
@@ -109,18 +113,16 @@ module API {
 
     export class User extends RestController<IUser> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/users");
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/users");
         }
     }
 
     export class Friendship extends RestController<IFriendship> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/friends");
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/friends");
         }
 
         async getPendingFriendRequests() {
-            if (!this.token) return null;
-
             const response = await this.instance.get(this.endpoint + "?pending=true", this.headers);
             return Promise.resolve(response.data);
         }
@@ -128,25 +130,25 @@ module API {
 
     export class Recipe extends RestController<IRecipe> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/recipes");
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/recipes");
         }
     }
 
     export class Ingredient extends RestController<IIngredient> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/ingredients");
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/ingredients");
         }
     }
 
     export class Collection extends RestController<ICollection> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/collections");
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/collection");
         }
     }
 
     export class GroceryList extends RestController<IGroceryList> {
         constructor() {
-            super(APISTRING + "/app/grocery-list")
+            super(Settings.getAPISTRING() + "/app/grocery-list")
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/loaders/express.ts b/server/loaders/express.ts
index f66098b..9092b0d 100644
--- a/server/loaders/express.ts
+++ b/server/loaders/express.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Express } from 'express';
+import express, { Express } from 'express';
 import bodyParser from 'body-parser';
 import cookieParser from 'cookie-parser';
 import morgan from 'morgan';
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ declare module 'express-session' {
 
 export const expressLoader = async (app: Express) => {
     app.use(cors({ origin: origin }));
-    app.use(bodyParser.json());
-    app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
+    app.use(express.json());
+    app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
     app.use(cookieParser());
     app.use(morgan('tiny'));
     app.use(requireSessionSecret);
diff --git a/server/routes/auth.ts b/server/routes/auth.ts
index 73fe157..43c0be2 100644
--- a/server/routes/auth.ts
+++ b/server/routes/auth.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export const authRoute = (app: Express) => {
 
                 const safeUserData = {
                     id: user.id,
+                    firstname: user.firstname,
+                    lastname: user.lastname,
                     handle: user.handle,
                     email: user.email,
                     datecreated: user.datecreated,
diff --git a/server/routes/collection.ts b/server/routes/collection.ts
index 8654504..5682ff9 100644
--- a/server/routes/collection.ts
+++ b/server/routes/collection.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ const router = Router();
 export const collectionRoute = (app: Express) => {
     app.use('/app/collection', router);
 
+    router.use((req, res, next) => {
+        console.log('what gives');
+        console.log(req.body);
+        next();
+    })
+
     router.get('/:id', async (req, res, next) => {
         const { id } = req.params;
         try {
@@ -30,7 +36,7 @@ export const collectionRoute = (app: Express) => {
 
     router.post('/', async (req, res, next) => {
         const data = req.body;
-        console.log(data);
+        console.log(req.body ?? "sanity check");
 
         try {
             const result = await CollectionInstance.post(data);
diff --git a/server/routes/index.ts b/server/routes/index.ts
index a971eb3..0c9743d 100644
--- a/server/routes/index.ts
+++ b/server/routes/index.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export const routes = async (app: Express) => {
         console.log(token);
 
         if (!token) {
-            res.status(403).send("Unauthorized");
+            res.status(403).send("Unauthorized, did not receive token");
         } else {
             jwt.verify(token, process.env.SESSIONSECRET as string, (err, data) => {
                 if (err) {