diff --git a/client/package-lock.json b/client/package-lock.json
index d92ff6c..e03be82 100644
--- a/client/package-lock.json
+++ b/client/package-lock.json
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@
         "@apollo/client": "^3.13.8",
         "@radix-ui/react-dialog": "^1.1.11",
         "graphql": "^16.11.0",
-
         "jwt-decode": "^4.0.0",
-
         "lucide-react": "^0.503.0",
         "react": "^19.0.0",
         "react-dom": "^19.0.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7507d76..3c7e013 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "description": "",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "node server/server.js",
+    "start": "cd server && npm run start",
     "develop": "concurrently \"cd server && npm run watch\" \"cd client && npm run dev\"",
     "install": "cd server && npm i && cd ../client && npm i",
     "build": "concurrently \"cd server && npm run build\" \"cd client && npm run build\"",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index ac9f345..b555474 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
     "start": "node dist/server.js",
     "build": "tsc",
     "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
-    "dev": "nodemon index.ts"
+    "dev": "nodemon index.ts",
+    "watch": "nodemon dist/server.js"
   },
   "keywords": [],
   "author": "",
diff --git a/server/src/server.ts b/server/src/server.ts
index e527958..4504434 100644
--- a/server/src/server.ts
+++ b/server/src/server.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import express, { Request, Response } from 'express';
-import cors from 'cors';
+import express, { type Request, type Response } from 'express';
+
 import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 import { OpenAI } from 'openai';
-// import fs from 'fs';
-// import path from 'path';
-import { ApolloServer } from 'apollo-server-express';
+
+import path from 'path';
+import { ApolloServer } from '@apollo/server';
 import { expressMiddleware } from '@apollo/server/express4';
 import typeDefs from './schemas/typeDefs';
 import resolvers from './schemas/resolvers';
@@ -33,22 +33,25 @@ dotenv.config();
         resolvers,
       });
 
-      await server.start();
+      const startApolloServer = async () => {
+        await server.start();
+        await db;
+
+      app.use(express.static('public')); // serve generated mp3 file
       app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: false }));
       app.use(express.json());
-      app.use(express.static('public')); // serve generated mp3 file
+      
       app.use('/graphql', expressMiddleware(server as any,
         {
           context: authenticateToken as any
         }
       ));
-      
       // if we're in production, serve client/build as static assets
       if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
-        app.use(express.static(path.join(dirname, '../client/build')));
+        app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../client/build')));
       
         app.get('*', (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
-          res.sendFile(path.join(dirname, '../client/dist/index.html'));
+          res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../client/dist/index.html'));
         });
       }
 
diff --git a/server/src/types/express/index.d.ts b/server/src/types/express/index.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e649f26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/types/express/index.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+declare namespace Express {
+  interface Request {
+    user: {
+      _id: unknown;
+      username: string;
+    };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/utils/auth.ts b/server/src/utils/auth.ts
index 01ef3ac..e0efdd3 100644
--- a/server/src/utils/auth.ts
+++ b/server/src/utils/auth.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ interface JwtPayload {
 }
 
 export const authMiddleware = ({ req }: { req: any }) => {
-  const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
+  const authHeader = req.headers.get('authorization');
 
   if (authHeader) {
     const token = authHeader.split(' ')[1];
@@ -42,20 +42,25 @@ export const authMiddleware = ({ req }: { req: any }) => {
   return { user: null };
 };
 
-export const authenticateToken = (token: string) => {
-  const secretKey = process.env.JWT_SECRET_KEY || '';
+export const authenticateToken = async ({ req }: { req: Request }) => {
+  const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
+  let user = null;
+  console.log('AUTH HEADER', authHeader);
 
-  if (!token) {
-    throw new Error('No token provided');
-  }
+  if (authHeader) {
+    const token = authHeader.split(' ')[1];
+    console.log('TOKEN', token);
+    const secretKey = process.env.JWT_SECRET_KEY || '';
 
-  try {
-    const user = jwt.verify(token, secretKey) as JwtPayload;
-    return user;
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('Invalid token:', err);
-    throw new Error('Invalid or expired token');
+    try {
+      user = jwt.verify(token, secretKey) as JwtPayload;
+      console.log('USER', user);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(err);
+    }
   }
+
+  return { user };
 };
 
 export const signToken = (username: string, email: string, _id: unknown) => {
diff --git a/server/tsconfig.json b/server/tsconfig.json
index a082141..e3f0e0c 100644
--- a/server/tsconfig.json
+++ b/server/tsconfig.json
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@
       "@/*": ["src/*"] // Map the '@' alias to the 'src' directory
     }
   },
-  "include": ["src/**/*"],
+  "include": ["src/**/*", "src/server.ts"],
   "exclude": ["node_modules"]
 }
\ No newline at end of file