Homework Planner

As Homework Racer continued to grow, I realized that adding more features also increased the complexity of the application. Certain pages began taking longer to load, and some interface elements felt less responsive than I wanted them to be. To improve performance, I carefully reviewed the codebase and identified unnecessary operations that were occurring repeatedly. I simplified portions of the code, reorganized components, and reduced the number of unnecessary updates being performed in the background. I also focused on improving the overall user experience by refining animations, adjusting spacing, and creating more consistent transitions between pages. Although many of these changes were relatively small, together they made the application feel significantly smoother and more polished. At this stage, Homework Racer is beginning to feel much closer to the vision I originally had when I started the project.

During this phase of development, I focused on implementing one of the application’s most useful features: the Pomodoro timer. Since many students struggle with maintaining concentration while studying, I wanted to create a tool that encouraged users to work in shorter, more productive intervals. The biggest challenge involved ensuring that the timer remained accurate while users navigated between different pages of the application. Initially, the timer would reset whenever the page was refreshed, creating a frustrating user experience. After reviewing the logic behind the component, I adjusted the implementation so that the timer state could be preserved correctly.In addition to improving functionality, I also updated the appearance of the timer so that it matched the racing theme of the application. The final result is a feature that feels both practical and engaging while helping students maintain their focus.

During this stage of development, I encountered one of the most frustrating bugs I had faced so far. Although the navigation sidebar appeared to work correctly, some pages would fail to update properly after users switched between different sections of the application. In certain situations, the interface would continue displaying old information instead of rendering the newly selected page.At first, I assumed the problem was related to the styling of the components. After spending time testing different possibilities, I discovered that the issue was actually caused by the way state updates were being handled. Some components were not re-rendering when their data changed, which caused the interface to become out of sync. To solve the problem, I reorganized the state management logic and ensured that components updated whenever new information became available. After implementing these changes, navigation became much smoother and much more reliable. Although fixing the bug took longer than expected, it taught me the importance of carefully managing data flow throughout the application.

During this stage of development, I focused on making Homework Racer feel polished and enjoyable to use. While the core features were already working, I wanted the application to have a professional appearance that matched the overall racing theme. My goal was to make students feel like they were entering the dashboard of a high-performance race car every time they opened the planner.
One of the biggest improvements I made was redesigning the navigation sidebar. I organized each section—Home, Dashboard, Homework, Calendar, and Pomodoro—into a clean vertical menu with matching icons. This makes it much easier for users to quickly switch between different pages without getting lost. I also highlighted the currently selected page so users always know where they are in the application.
I also spent time improving the homepage layout. Instead of displaying plain text, I created large feature cards that introduce each section of the app. These cards explain what each feature does while keeping the interface clean and modern. The large welcome message and quick action buttons help new users immediately understand how to start using the planner.
Another improvement was creating a consistent color palette throughout the application. I chose a dark background with orange accents because orange represents speed, energy, and racing. Every button, icon, and highlighted section follows this color scheme, making the app feel consistent and visually appealing instead of looking like different pages stitched together.
Finally, I tested the interface to make sure everything was responsive and easy to navigate. I adjusted spacing, card sizes, fonts, and button placement so the application remained readable without feeling crowded. These improvements made Homework Racer feel much more like a finished product rather than just a collection of features, creating an experience that is both practical for students and enjoyable to use.

For this project, I wanted to make a homework planner that didn’t feel boring. Most homework apps are plain lists and calendars, so I decided to build Homework Racer, a car-themed planner where students feel like they’re racing to complete assignments instead of dragging through them. The dark racing-inspired interface with orange accent colors gives the app the feeling of a modern sports car dashboard.
One of the first things I created was the dashboard. This acts as the driver’s control panel, giving users quick access to everything they need. Instead of searching through different pages, students can immediately jump to Homework, Calendar, or the Pomodoro timer from the home screen. I also added an “Add Homework” button so users can quickly create new assignments without navigating through multiple menus.
The next feature I worked on was the Homework Manager. This lets students add assignments, organize them, and keep track of what still needs to be finished. The goal was to make homework management simple and fast, almost like checking off laps in a race. Assignments can be viewed in one organized location so students always know what needs attention.
After that, I implemented the Calendar page. This allows users to view upcoming due dates in a visual format instead of reading through long lists. Having deadlines displayed on a calendar makes it easier to plan ahead and avoid forgetting assignments. It also helps students spread out their workload rather than waiting until the last minute.