Block-in

Extension Detects Current Google Calendar Event
Extension Closeup

Inspiration

We were inspired to make Block-in because there are so many ways to get distracted when you are trying to be productive. Why work when an infinite amount of entertainment and knowledge is only a few clicks away? Our hope for our Chrome extension is that people will use it to focus during classes and work.

What it Does

Our project is a Chrome extension that works with Google Calendar. Based on the events scheduled, it will block out websites like Youtube or Instagram for the allotted time period. When you try to go to a blocked website, a message will pop up and bar you from going forward.

How We Built It

We built this project by combining HTML, JavaScript, and an API.

Challenges

We struggled with connecting the API to Google Calendar, setting up Github, and creating the frontend of our project. The popup we created was supposed to have more features, like a live timer, but we struggled to implement it. Due to the time constraint, we decided to scale back on our original plan because it was slightly ambitious. Another challenge we faced was converting different variables from the API and using authentication tokens in order to access Google Calendar.

Accomplishments

Our biggest challenge was connecting the API to Google Calendar, so we are most proud of overcoming that struggle.

What We Learned

This entire experience has been a learning process because all of us are beginners and had never done anything remotely close to a full stack project. In the beginning, we spent almost an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out how to use Github and setting up the appropriate files and packages. Conveniently, we also had limited to no experience with CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and APIs, but we somehow ended up creating a project out of those elements. Through many Google searches and hours of frustration, we persisted (locked in) and created a project that we are incredibly proud of. We also learned a lot outside of technical topics. For instance, one of the mentors completely changed our mindset about running into errors. He was really excited when we got a new error after being stuck on an old one for a long time because a new error meant progress. Hackathons and computer science are all about problem solving, so seeing even the tiniest bit of change meant that we were moving in the right direction. He also spoke about setting a plan and delegating tasks, which was really helpful in keeping us on track. At times, our project seemed very daunting, so breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps really helped. Overall, we all learned a lot about frontend development, backend development, and technology in general.

What's Next for Block-in

In the future, we hope to add more features like a live timer, more customization features, and maybe even a more entertaining "blocked" screen. We were considering putting a video of Rick Astley's iconic song "Never Gonna Give You Up" to discourage users from going on blocked websites even more.