diff --git a/packages/api/index.ts b/packages/api/index.ts
index 1ed2a38..ba49ee7 100644
--- a/packages/api/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/index.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ import express, { Application, Request, Response } from "express";
 import { NextFunction } from "express";
 import SocketChannels from "@nirvana/core/sockets/channels";
 import { UserService } from "./services/user.service";
-import { UserStatus } from "@nirvana/core/models";
-import { connectToDatabase } from "./services/database.service";
+import { UserStatus } from "@nirvana/core/models/user.model";
 import cors from "cors";
 import getConversationRoutes from "./routes/conversation";
 import getSearchRoutes from "./routes/search";
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@ app.use("/api/conversations", getConversationRoutes());
 
 const PORT = 5000;
 var server = app.listen(PORT, () => console.log("express running"));
-connectToDatabase();
 
 // socket IO stuff
 
@@ -106,22 +104,25 @@ io.on("connection", function (socket: any) {
     async (userGoogleId: string, newStatus: UserStatus) => {
       console.log("new status for user");
 
-      const resultUpdate = await UserService.updateUserStatus(
-        userGoogleId,
-        newStatus
-      );
+      // todo persist status changes
+      // const resultUpdate = await UserService.updateUserStatus(
+      //   userGoogleId,
+      //   newStatus
+      // );
 
       // tell all rooms that the user is part of
       // that this user has updated their status
-      if (resultUpdate?.modifiedCount) {
-        socket.rooms.forEach((roomId: string) => {
-          io.in(roomId).emit(
-            SocketChannels.SEND_USER_STATUS_UPDATE,
-            userGoogleId,
-            newStatus
-          );
-        });
-      }
+      // if (resultUpdate?.modifiedCount) {
+
+      // }
+
+      socket.rooms.forEach((roomId: string) => {
+        io.in(roomId).emit(
+          SocketChannels.SEND_USER_STATUS_UPDATE,
+          userGoogleId,
+          newStatus
+        );
+      });
     }
   );
 
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/api/package.json
index 8599526..cdf5baa 100644
--- a/packages/api/package.json
+++ b/packages/api/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "google-auth-library": "^7.14.0",
     "jsonwebtoken": "^8.5.1",
     "mongodb": "^4.4.1",
+    "mongoose": "^6.2.9",
     "socket.io": "^4.4.1"
   },
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/packages/api/routes/conversation.ts b/packages/api/routes/conversation.ts
index 267615b..6cf5930 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/conversation.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/conversation.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
 import Relationship from "@nirvana/core/models/relationship.model";
 import { UserService } from "../services/user.service";
 import { authCheck } from "../middleware/auth";
-import { collections } from "../services/database.service";
 
 export default function getConversationRoutes() {
   const router = express.Router();
diff --git a/packages/api/routes/search.ts b/packages/api/routes/search.ts
index 9238296..1a7dc62 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/search.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/search.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import express, { Application, Request, Response } from "express";
 
 import SearchResponse from "@nirvana/core/responses/search.response";
-import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models";
 import { UserService } from "../services/user.service";
 import { authCheck } from "../middleware/auth";
 
@@ -11,30 +10,30 @@ export default function getSearchRoutes() {
   router.use(express.json());
 
   // get user details based on id token
-  router.get("/", authCheck, handleSearch);
+  // router.get("/", authCheck, handleSearch);
 
   return router;
 }
 
-async function handleSearch(req: Request, res: Response) {
-  try {
-    const { query } = req.query;
+// async function handleSearch(req: Request, res: Response) {
+//   try {
+//     const { query } = req.query;
 
-    if (!query) {
-      res.status(400).send("No search query provided!");
-      return;
-    }
+//     if (!query) {
+//       res.status(400).send("No search query provided!");
+//       return;
+//     }
 
-    // text search on users
-    const users: User[] | null = await UserService.getUsersLikeEmailAndName(
-      query as string
-    );
+//     // text search on users
+//     const users: User[] | null = await UserService.getUsersLikeEmailAndName(
+//       query as string
+//     );
 
-    const resObj = new SearchResponse(users ?? []);
+//     const resObj = new SearchResponse(users ?? []);
 
-    res.send(resObj);
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.log(error);
-    res.status(500).send(`something went wrong`);
-  }
-}
+//     res.send(resObj);
+//   } catch (error) {
+//     console.log(error);
+//     res.status(500).send(`something went wrong`);
+//   }
+// }
diff --git a/packages/api/routes/user.ts b/packages/api/routes/user.ts
index 02a3160..475e0aa 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/user.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/user.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-import { GoogleUserInfo, User } from "@nirvana/core/models";
 import express, { Application, Request, Response } from "express";
 
+import GoogleUserInfo from "@nirvana/core/models/googleUserInfo.model";
 import { OAuth2Client } from "google-auth-library";
 import { ObjectID } from "bson";
 import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
+import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models/user.model";
 import { UserService } from "../services/user.service";
 import { UserStatus } from "../../core/models/user.model";
 import { authCheck } from "../middleware/auth";
-import { collections } from "../services/database.service";
 
 const client = new OAuth2Client(
   "423533244953-banligobgbof8hg89i6cr1l7u0p7c2pk.apps.googleusercontent.com"
@@ -83,8 +83,6 @@ async function login(req: Request, res: Response) {
       // create user if not exists
       const insertResult = await UserService.createUserIfNotExists(newUser);
 
-      newUser._id = insertResult?.insertedId;
-
       // create jwt token with new user info
 
       insertResult
diff --git a/packages/api/services/database.service.ts b/packages/api/services/database.service.ts
index 8ea500c..9229db4 100644
--- a/packages/api/services/database.service.ts
+++ b/packages/api/services/database.service.ts
@@ -1,30 +1,42 @@
 // External Dependencies
 import * as mongoDB from "mongodb";
 
-import { loadConfig } from "../config";
+import { IUser, UserStatus } from "@nirvana/core/models/user.model";
 
-// Global Variables
-export const collections: {
-  users?: mongoDB.Collection;
-} = {};
+import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
+import { loadConfig } from "../config";
+import mongoose from "mongoose";
+
+connectToDatabase().catch((err) => console.log(err));
 
 // Initialize Connection
 export async function connectToDatabase() {
   const config = loadConfig();
 
-  const client: mongoDB.MongoClient = new mongoDB.MongoClient(
-    config.MONGO_CONNECTION_STRING
-  );
+  await mongoose.connect(config.MONGO_CONNECTION_STRING);
 
-  await client.connect();
-
-  const db: mongoDB.Db = client.db(process.env.DB_NAME);
-
-  const usersCollection: mongoDB.Collection = db.collection("users");
-
-  collections.users = usersCollection;
-
-  console.log(
-    `Successfully connected to database: ${db.databaseName} and collections`
-  );
+  console.log(`Successfully connected to mongoose/mongodb`);
 }
+
+const userSchema = new mongoose.Schema<IUser>(
+  {
+    name: { type: String, required: true },
+    email: { type: String, required: true },
+    googleId: { type: String, required: true }, // our Google id that every google user has unique that we are going to use for now
+    verifiedEmail: Boolean,
+    givenName: { type: String, required: true },
+    familyName: { type: String, required: true },
+    picture: String,
+    locale: String,
+
+    // additional properties specific to our users collection
+
+    createdDate: Date,
+    status: String,
+    lastUpdatedDate: Date,
+    _id: ObjectId,
+  },
+  { collection: "users" }
+);
+
+export const UserModel = mongoose.model<IUser>("User", userSchema);
diff --git a/packages/api/services/user.service.ts b/packages/api/services/user.service.ts
index 9371569..e39f3dd 100644
--- a/packages/api/services/user.service.ts
+++ b/packages/api/services/user.service.ts
@@ -1,70 +1,56 @@
-import { GoogleUserInfo, User } from "@nirvana/core/models";
-
+import GoogleUserInfo from "../../core/models/googleUserInfo.model";
 import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
+import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models/user.model";
+import { UserModel } from "./database.service";
 import { UserStatus } from "../../core/models/user.model";
 import axios from "axios";
-import { collections } from "./database.service";
 
 export class UserService {
-  static async getUserByGoogleId(userId: string) {
-    const query = { googleId: userId };
-
-    const res = await collections.users?.findOne(query);
-
-    // exists
-    if (res?._id) {
-      return res as User;
-    }
-
-    return null;
-  }
-
   static async getUserByEmail(email: string) {
-    const query = { email };
-
-    const res = await collections.users?.findOne(query);
+    const res = await UserModel.findOne({ email });
 
     // exists
-    if (res?._id) {
-      return res as User;
+    if (!res?.$isEmpty) {
+      return res;
     }
 
     return null;
   }
 
-  static async getUsersLikeEmailAndName(searchQuery: string) {
-    // based on index defined in Mongo atlas
-    const query = {
-      $search: {
-        index: "default",
-        text: {
-          query: searchQuery,
-          path: {
-            wildcard: "*",
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    };
+  // static async getUsersLikeEmailAndName(searchQuery: string) {
+  //   // based on index defined in Mongo atlas
+  //   const query = {
+  //     $search: {
+  //       index: "default",
+  //       text: {
+  //         query: searchQuery,
+  //         path: {
+  //           wildcard: "*",
+  //         },
+  //       },
+  //     },
+  //   };
 
-    // const res = await collections.users?.find(query).toArray();
+  //   // const res = await collections.users?.find(query).toArray();
 
-    const res = await collections.users?.aggregate([query]).toArray();
+  //   const res = await collections.users?.aggregate([query]).toArray();
 
-    // exists
-    if (res?.length) {
-      return res as User[];
-    }
+  //   // exists
+  //   if (res?.length) {
+  //     return res as User[];
+  //   }
 
-    return null;
-  }
+  //   return null;
+  // }
 
   static async createUserIfNotExists(newUser: User) {
-    const exists = (
-      await collections.users?.findOne({ googleId: newUser.googleId })
-    )?._id;
+    const getUser = await this.getUserByEmail(newUser.email);
 
-    if (!exists) {
-      return await collections.users?.insertOne(newUser);
+    if (!getUser) {
+      const newUser = new UserModel(User);
+      newUser.isNew = true;
+
+      return newUser.save();
     }
 
     // user with email exists already, don't create
@@ -81,14 +67,14 @@ export class UserService {
     ).data;
   }
 
-  static async updateUserStatus(userGoogleId: string, newStatus: UserStatus) {
-    const query = { googleId: userGoogleId };
-    const updateDoc = {
-      $set: { status: newStatus, lastUpdatedDate: new Date() },
-    };
+  // static async updateUserStatus(userId: string, newStatus: UserStatus) {
+  //   const query = { googleId: userGoogleId };
+  //   const updateDoc = {
+  //     $set: { status: newStatus, lastUpdatedDate: new Date() },
+  //   };
 
-    const resultUpdate = await collections.users?.updateOne(query, updateDoc);
+  //   const resultUpdate = UserModel.findByIdAndUpdate
 
-    return resultUpdate;
-  }
+  //   return resultUpdate;
+  // }
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/models/googleUserInfo.model.ts b/packages/core/models/googleUserInfo.model.ts
index e39225d..0122dd6 100644
--- a/packages/core/models/googleUserInfo.model.ts
+++ b/packages/core/models/googleUserInfo.model.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
 
-export class GoogleUserInfo {
+export default class GoogleUserInfo {
   constructor(
     public id: string,
     public email: string,
diff --git a/packages/core/models/index.ts b/packages/core/models/index.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 9676b82..0000000
--- a/packages/core/models/index.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-export * from "./googleUserInfo.model";
-export * from "./user.model";
diff --git a/packages/core/models/user.model.ts b/packages/core/models/user.model.ts
index 6556b40..e49a150 100644
--- a/packages/core/models/user.model.ts
+++ b/packages/core/models/user.model.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,24 @@
 import { ObjectId } from "mongodb";
 
-export class User {
+export interface IUser {
+  googleId: string; // our Google id that every google user has unique that we are going to use for now
+  email: string;
+  verifiedEmail: boolean;
+  name: string;
+  givenName: string;
+  familyName: string;
+  picture: string;
+  locale: string;
+
+  // additional properties specific to our users collection
+
+  createdDate: Date;
+  status: UserStatus;
+  lastUpdatedDate?: Date;
+  _id?: ObjectId;
+}
+
+export class User implements IUser {
   constructor(
     public googleId: string, // our Google id that every google user has unique that we are going to use for now
     public email: string,
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/controller/nirvanaApi.ts b/packages/desktop/src/controller/nirvanaApi.ts
index 5166008..4ea48b7 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/controller/nirvanaApi.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/controller/nirvanaApi.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import axios, { AxiosRequestConfig, AxiosResponse, Method } from "axios";
 
 import LoginResponse from "../../../core/responses/login.response";
-import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models";
+import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models/user.model";
 
 // export const localHost = process.env.REACT_APP_API_DOMAIN;
 
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 1d32b91..0886dbf 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2032,6 +2032,13 @@ browserslist@^4.20.2:
     node-releases "^2.0.2"
     picocolors "^1.0.0"
 
+bson@^4.2.2:
+  version "4.6.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/bson/-/bson-4.6.2.tgz#3241c79d23d225b86ab6d2bc268b803d8a5fd444"
+  integrity sha512-VeJKHShcu1b/ugl0QiujlVuBepab714X9nNyBdA1kfekuDGecxgpTA2Z6nYbagrWFeiIyzSWIOzju3lhj+RNyQ==
+  dependencies:
+    buffer "^5.6.0"
+
 bson@^4.6.1:
   version "4.6.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/bson/-/bson-4.6.1.tgz#2b5da517539bb0f7f3ffb54ac70a384ca899641c"
@@ -2721,6 +2728,13 @@ debug@4, debug@^4.0.1, debug@^4.1.0, debug@^4.1.1, debug@^4.3.1, debug@^4.3.2:
   dependencies:
     ms "2.1.2"
 
+debug@4.x, debug@~4.3.1, debug@~4.3.2:
+  version "4.3.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/debug/-/debug-4.3.4.tgz#1319f6579357f2338d3337d2cdd4914bb5dcc865"
+  integrity sha512-PRWFHuSU3eDtQJPvnNY7Jcket1j0t5OuOsFzPPzsekD52Zl8qUfFIPEiswXqIvHWGVHOgX+7G/vCNNhehwxfkQ==
+  dependencies:
+    ms "2.1.2"
+
 debug@^3.1.0, debug@^3.1.1, debug@^3.2.7:
   version "3.2.7"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/debug/-/debug-3.2.7.tgz"
@@ -2728,13 +2742,6 @@ debug@^3.1.0, debug@^3.1.1, debug@^3.2.7:
   dependencies:
     ms "^2.1.1"
 
-debug@~4.3.1, debug@~4.3.2:
-  version "4.3.4"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/debug/-/debug-4.3.4.tgz#1319f6579357f2338d3337d2cdd4914bb5dcc865"
-  integrity sha512-PRWFHuSU3eDtQJPvnNY7Jcket1j0t5OuOsFzPPzsekD52Zl8qUfFIPEiswXqIvHWGVHOgX+7G/vCNNhehwxfkQ==
-  dependencies:
-    ms "2.1.2"
-
 decamelize@^1.2.0:
   version "1.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/decamelize/-/decamelize-1.2.0.tgz#f6534d15148269b20352e7bee26f501f9a191290"
@@ -5300,6 +5307,11 @@ jws@^4.0.0:
     jwa "^2.0.0"
     safe-buffer "^5.0.1"
 
+kareem@2.3.5:
+  version "2.3.5"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/kareem/-/kareem-2.3.5.tgz#111fe9dbab754c8ed88b7a2360e2680cec1420ca"
+  integrity sha512-qxCyQtp3ioawkiRNQr/v8xw9KIviMSSNmy+63Wubj7KmMn3g7noRXIZB4vPCAP+ETi2SR8eH6CvmlKZuGpoHOg==
+
 keyv@^3.0.0:
   version "3.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/keyv/-/keyv-3.1.0.tgz"
@@ -5809,7 +5821,7 @@ moment@^2.24.0, moment@^2.25.3, moment@^2.29.1:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/moment/-/moment-2.29.1.tgz#b2be769fa31940be9eeea6469c075e35006fa3d3"
   integrity sha512-kHmoybcPV8Sqy59DwNDY3Jefr64lK/by/da0ViFcuA4DH0vQg5Q6Ze5VimxkfQNSC+Mls/Kx53s7TjP1RhFEDQ==
 
-mongodb-connection-string-url@^2.5.2:
+mongodb-connection-string-url@^2.4.1, mongodb-connection-string-url@^2.5.2:
   version "2.5.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mongodb-connection-string-url/-/mongodb-connection-string-url-2.5.2.tgz#f075c8d529e8d3916386018b8a396aed4f16e5ed"
   integrity sha512-tWDyIG8cQlI5k3skB6ywaEA5F9f5OntrKKsT/Lteub2zgwSUlhqEN2inGgBTm8bpYJf8QYBdA/5naz65XDpczA==
@@ -5817,6 +5829,18 @@ mongodb-connection-string-url@^2.5.2:
     "@types/whatwg-url" "^8.2.1"
     whatwg-url "^11.0.0"
 
+mongodb@4.3.1:
+  version "4.3.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mongodb/-/mongodb-4.3.1.tgz#e346f76e421ec6f47ddea5c8f5140e6181aaeb94"
+  integrity sha512-sNa8APSIk+r4x31ZwctKjuPSaeKuvUeNb/fu/3B6dRM02HpEgig7hTHM8A/PJQTlxuC/KFWlDlQjhsk/S43tBg==
+  dependencies:
+    bson "^4.6.1"
+    denque "^2.0.1"
+    mongodb-connection-string-url "^2.4.1"
+    socks "^2.6.1"
+  optionalDependencies:
+    saslprep "^1.0.3"
+
 mongodb@^4.4.1:
   version "4.4.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mongodb/-/mongodb-4.4.1.tgz#e604cfbe2d5e125ae156ad04b52d261bed480b99"
@@ -5829,6 +5853,31 @@ mongodb@^4.4.1:
   optionalDependencies:
     saslprep "^1.0.3"
 
+mongoose@^6.2.9:
+  version "6.2.9"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mongoose/-/mongoose-6.2.9.tgz#6318dceeebdd23d30a5a414a98bdfeab13fc83ef"
+  integrity sha512-6ApgF3rKYah5pUEO/1H+QrT0GT05OR7FprtVM45yzcrT/IKKlXizPyttrMiK1mLPt+55pGU7PMsBWY7yx/xZ4g==
+  dependencies:
+    bson "^4.2.2"
+    kareem "2.3.5"
+    mongodb "4.3.1"
+    mpath "0.8.4"
+    mquery "4.0.2"
+    ms "2.1.3"
+    sift "16.0.0"
+
+mpath@0.8.4:
+  version "0.8.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mpath/-/mpath-0.8.4.tgz#6b566d9581621d9e931dd3b142ed3618e7599313"
+  integrity sha512-DTxNZomBcTWlrMW76jy1wvV37X/cNNxPW1y2Jzd4DZkAaC5ZGsm8bfGfNOthcDuRJujXLqiuS6o3Tpy0JEoh7g==
+
+mquery@4.0.2:
+  version "4.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mquery/-/mquery-4.0.2.tgz#a13add5ecd7c2e5a67e0f814b3c7acdfb6772804"
+  integrity sha512-oAVF0Nil1mT3rxty6Zln4YiD6x6QsUWYz927jZzjMxOK2aqmhEz5JQ7xmrKK7xRFA2dwV+YaOpKU/S+vfNqKxA==
+  dependencies:
+    debug "4.x"
+
 ms@2.0.0:
   version "2.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/ms/-/ms-2.0.0.tgz"
@@ -7818,6 +7867,11 @@ side-channel@^1.0.4:
     get-intrinsic "^1.0.2"
     object-inspect "^1.9.0"
 
+sift@16.0.0:
+  version "16.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/sift/-/sift-16.0.0.tgz#447991577db61f1a8fab727a8a98a6db57a23eb8"
+  integrity sha512-ILTjdP2Mv9V1kIxWMXeMTIRbOBrqKc4JAXmFMnFq3fKeyQ2Qwa3Dw1ubcye3vR+Y6ofA0b9gNDr/y2t6eUeIzQ==
+
 signal-exit@^3.0.0, signal-exit@^3.0.2, signal-exit@^3.0.3, signal-exit@^3.0.7:
   version "3.0.7"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/signal-exit/-/signal-exit-3.0.7.tgz"