diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Models/Convo.swift b/nirvana-ios/Models/Convo.swift
index 4a0812b..e6f5dc8 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Models/Convo.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Models/Convo.swift
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ enum ConvoState: String, Codable {
 }
 
 struct Convo: Identifiable, Codable {
-    @DocumentID var id: String?
+    @DocumentID var id: String? = UUID().uuidString
     var leaderUserId: String
     var receiverUserId: String
     
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvoViewModel.swift b/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvoViewModel.swift
index 56657f0..bc7d13f 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvoViewModel.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvoViewModel.swift
@@ -10,12 +10,20 @@ import AgoraRtcKit
 
 
 class ConvoViewModel: NSObject, ObservableObject {
-    @Published var inCall = false
+    @Published var selectedConvoId:String? = nil
     
     let firestoreService = FirestoreService()
     
+    let testConvos: [Convo] = [
+        Convo(id: "testChannel", leaderUserId: "VWVPKCrNmMeZlkEeZxuJ0Wsgq0C3", receiverUserId: "zd6PpD3TmnQUDoy6noS9aZpuPWr1", agoraToken: "006c8dfd65deb5c4741bd564085627139d0IAAqbHMFow9oQ8BN0WCkFrkGBTqFTjlbr6tJmFH5judwbnZXrgMAAAAAEADQ943gC8nOYQEAAQALyc5h", state: .connected)
+    ]
+    
     var agoraKit: AgoraRtcEngineKit?
     
+    func isInCall() -> Bool {
+        return self.selectedConvoId != nil
+    }
+    
     override init() {
         super.init()
         
@@ -55,18 +63,31 @@ class ConvoViewModel: NSObject, ObservableObject {
     /**
     Allow user to join an active convo
      */
-    func joinConvo(convoId: String, convoAgoraToken: String) {
+    func joinConvo() {
         // ensure the convo is active and includes 2 people in it currently...shouldn't be shown if not anyway
         
         // ensure that this user leaves all other channels
-        if self.inCall {
+        if self.isInCall() {
             self.leaveConvo()
         }
         
         self.agoraKit?.setDefaultAudioRouteToSpeakerphone(true)
         
+        let convo = self.testConvos.first {convo in
+            convo.id == self.selectedConvoId
+        }
+        
+        if convo == nil {
+            // handles the offchance that the convo was deactivated or was mistakenly seen by this user
+            print("convo not available")
+            return
+        }
+        
+        let convoAgoraToken:String = convo!.agoraToken
+        let channelName:String = convo!.id!
+        
         // finally join channel
-        self.agoraKit?.joinChannel(byToken: convoAgoraToken, channelId: "testChannel", info: nil, uid: 0, joinSuccess: nil)
+        self.agoraKit?.joinChannel(byToken: convoAgoraToken, channelId: channelName, info: nil, uid: 0, joinSuccess: nil)
     }
     
     // anyone can leave at any time
@@ -75,7 +96,7 @@ class ConvoViewModel: NSObject, ObservableObject {
         
         // if I am the second person in the room, then end the convo
         
-        self.inCall = false
+        self.selectedConvoId = nil
     }
     
     // if you are the second to last person in the convo and you leave, you end the convo
@@ -98,8 +119,6 @@ extension ConvoViewModel: AgoraRtcEngineDelegate {
         print("I did join channel")
         
         // leave channel if it's just me
-        
-        self.inCall = true
     }
     
     func rtcEngine(_ engine: AgoraRtcEngineKit, didLeaveChannelWith stats: AgoraChannelStats) {
@@ -108,7 +127,7 @@ extension ConvoViewModel: AgoraRtcEngineDelegate {
         print("I did leave channel")
         
         
-        self.inCall = false
+        self.selectedConvoId = nil
     }
     
     func rtcEngine(_ engine: AgoraRtcEngineKit, didJoinedOfUid uid: UInt, elapsed: Int) {
@@ -125,5 +144,9 @@ extension ConvoViewModel: AgoraRtcEngineDelegate {
     
     func rtcEngine(_ engine: AgoraRtcEngineKit, didOccurError errorCode: AgoraErrorCode) {
         print("did occur error: \(errorCode.rawValue)")
+        
+        // publish an error in view...toast or something
+        
+        self.selectedConvoId = nil
     }
 }
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvosView.swift b/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvosView.swift
index 76eaca1..28fb038 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvosView.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Views/Convos/ConvosView.swift
@@ -7,22 +7,18 @@
 
 import SwiftUI
 
-// test convos
-let testConvos: [Convo] = [
-    Convo(id: "testChannel", leaderUserId: "VWVPKCrNmMeZlkEeZxuJ0Wsgq0C3", receiverUserId: "zd6PpD3TmnQUDoy6noS9aZpuPWr1", agoraToken: "006c8dfd65deb5c4741bd564085627139d0IAAqbHMFow9oQ8BN0WCkFrkGBTqFTjlbr6tJmFH5judwbnZXrgMAAAAAEADQ943gC8nOYQEAAQALyc5h", state: .connected)
-]
-
 struct ConvosView: View {
-    @ObservedObject var vm = ConvoViewModel()
+    @EnvironmentObject var vm: ConvoViewModel
     @State var animate = false
     
     var body: some View {
         ScrollView([.horizontal]) {
             HStack {
-                ForEach(0..<testConvos.count, id: \.self) {index in
+                ForEach(0..<self.vm.testConvos.count, id: \.self) {index in
+                    let currConvo = self.vm.testConvos[index]
                     ZStack(alignment: .topTrailing) {
                         Circle()
-                            .foregroundColor(NirvanaColor.dimTeal.opacity(0.4))
+                            .foregroundColor(self.vm.selectedConvoId == currConvo.id ? Color.green : NirvanaColor.dimTeal.opacity(0.2))
                                                         
                         ZStack {
                             Color.clear
@@ -47,11 +43,16 @@ struct ConvosView: View {
                     }
                     .frame(width: 100, height: 100)
                     .scaleEffect(self.animate ? 1 : 0.85)
-                    .animation(animate ? Animation.easeInOut(duration: 4).repeatForever(autoreverses: true) : .default)
+                    .animation(
+                        Animation.easeInOut(duration: self.vm.selectedConvoId == currConvo.id ? 2 : 4
+                                           ).repeatForever(autoreverses: true),
+                       value: self.animate
+                    )
                     .onTapGesture {
                         // if not in a call already
-                        if !self.vm.inCall {
-                            self.vm.joinConvo(convoId: testConvos[index].id!, convoAgoraToken: testConvos[index].agoraToken)
+                        if !self.vm.isInCall() {
+                            self.vm.selectedConvoId = self.vm.testConvos[index].id!
+                            self.vm.joinConvo()
                             
                             return
                         }
@@ -68,11 +69,11 @@ struct ConvosView: View {
     }
 }
 
-struct ConvosView_Previews: PreviewProvider {
-    static var previews: some View {
-        ConvosView()
-    }
-}
+//struct ConvosView_Previews: PreviewProvider {
+//    static var previews: some View {
+//        ConvosView()
+//    }
+//}
 
 struct ProfilePictureOverlap: View {
     let numberAttendees:Int = 5
diff --git a/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/InnerCircleView.swift b/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/InnerCircleView.swift
index 88dfd86..3455690 100644
--- a/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/InnerCircleView.swift
+++ b/nirvana-ios/Views/InnerCircle/InnerCircleView.swift
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import SwiftUI
 import NavigationStack
 
 struct InnerCircleView: View {
+    @StateObject var convoViewModel: ConvoViewModel = ConvoViewModel()
     @StateObject var innerCircleVM: InnerCircleViewModel = InnerCircleViewModel()
     @EnvironmentObject var authSessionStore: AuthSessionStore
     @EnvironmentObject var navigationStack: NavigationStack    
@@ -88,11 +89,12 @@ struct InnerCircleView: View {
                 VStack(alignment: .leading) {
                     // convos
                     ConvosView()
+                        .environmentObject(self.convoViewModel)
                         .padding(.top, 50)
                     
                     // inner circle grid
                     CircleGridView(selectedFriendIndex: self.$selectedFriendIndex)
-                        .environmentObject(innerCircleVM)
+                        .environmentObject(self.innerCircleVM)
                     
                     Spacer()
                 }
@@ -105,7 +107,9 @@ struct InnerCircleView: View {
                 CircleNavigationView(alertActive: self.$alertActive, alertText: self.$alertText, alertSubtext: self.$alertSubtext).environmentObject(innerCircleVM)
             }
             
-            CircleFooterView(selectedFriendIndex: self.$selectedFriendIndex).environmentObject(innerCircleVM)
+            CircleFooterView(selectedFriendIndex: self.$selectedFriendIndex)
+                .environmentObject(self.innerCircleVM)
+                .environmentObject(self.convoViewModel)
             
             // helper for new users
             // TODO: make it back to 1 instead of 10...testing