diff --git a/backend/src/app.module.ts b/backend/src/app.module.ts
index b6a32dd..0e7f346 100644
--- a/backend/src/app.module.ts
+++ b/backend/src/app.module.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { AuthModule } from './auth/auth.module';
 import { UserModule } from './user/user.module';
 import { GrantModule } from './grant/grant.module';
+import { NotificationsModule } from './notifications/notifications.module';
 
 @Module({
-  imports: [AuthModule, UserModule, GrantModule],
+  imports: [AuthModule, UserModule, GrantModule, NotificationsModule],
 })
 export class AppModule {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts b/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
index 1ea1107..6ec5210 100644
--- a/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/auth/auth.service.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
-import { Injectable, Logger } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Injectable, InternalServerErrorException, Logger, UnauthorizedException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import AWS from 'aws-sdk';
 import { table } from 'console';
 import * as crypto from 'crypto';
 
-AWS.config.update({
-  region: process.env.AWS_REGION,
-});
-
 @Injectable()
 export class AuthService {
   private readonly logger = new Logger(AuthService.name);
@@ -96,6 +92,7 @@ export class AuthService {
     challenge?: string;
     requiredAttributes?: string[];
     username?: string;
+    message?: string;
   }> {
     const clientId = process.env.COGNITO_CLIENT_ID;
     const clientSecret = process.env.COGNITO_CLIENT_SECRET;
@@ -206,13 +203,36 @@ export class AuthService {
         user = newUser;
       }
   
-      return { access_token: idToken, user };
+      return { access_token: idToken, user, message: "Login Successful!" };
     } catch (error: unknown) {
-      if (error instanceof Error) {
+      /* Login Failures */
+      const cognitoError = error as AwsCognitoError;
+
+      if (cognitoError.code) {
+        switch (cognitoError.code) {
+          case 'NotAuthorizedException':
+            this.logger.warn(`Login failed: ${cognitoError.message}`);
+            throw new UnauthorizedException('Incorrect username or password.');
+          default:
+            this.logger.error(
+              `Login failed: ${cognitoError.message}`,
+              cognitoError.stack,
+            );
+            throw new InternalServerErrorException(
+              'An error occurred during login.',
+            );
+        }
+      } else if (error instanceof Error) {
+        // Handle non-AWS errors
         this.logger.error('Login failed', error.stack);
-        throw new Error(error.message || 'Login failed');
+        throw new InternalServerErrorException(
+          error.message || 'Login failed.',
+        );
       }
-      throw new Error('An unknown error occurred during login');
+      // Handle unknown errors
+      throw new InternalServerErrorException(
+        'An unknown error occurred during login.',
+      );
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/backend/src/main.ts b/backend/src/main.ts
index 6b6438c..b8ddad5 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.ts
+++ b/backend/src/main.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@ import AWS from 'aws-sdk';
 
 /* ! */
 async function bootstrap() {
-    AWS.config.update({
-        region: process.env.AWS_REGION
-      });
+  AWS.config.update({
+    region: process.env.AWS_REGION,
+    accessKeyId: process.env.OPEN_HATCH,
+    secretAccessKey: process.env.CLOSED_HATCH
+  });  
   const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);
   app.enableCors();
   await app.listen(3001);
diff --git a/backend/src/notifications/notifcations.service.ts b/backend/src/notifications/notifcations.service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf90de2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/notifications/notifcations.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// src/notifications/notifications.service.ts
+import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import * as AWS from 'aws-sdk';
+
+// idk about name but maybe?
+const TABLE_NAME = 'BCANNotifications';
+
+@Injectable()
+export class NotificationsService {
+
+  // function to make a notification
+
+  // function to find notifications by user id
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/notifications/notifications.controller.ts b/backend/src/notifications/notifications.controller.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c758aff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/notifications/notifications.controller.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// src/notifications/notifications.controller.ts
+import { Controller, Post, Body, Get, Query } from '@nestjs/common';
+
+@Controller('notifications')
+export class NotificationsController {
+  // constructor(private readonly notificationsService: NotificationsService) {}
+
+  @Post()
+  async create(@Body() notification: Partial<Notification>) {
+    // return this.notificationsService.create(notification);
+  }
+
+  @Get()
+  async findByUser(@Query('userId') userId: string) {
+    // return this.notificationsService.findByUser(userId);
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/notifications/notifications.module.ts b/backend/src/notifications/notifications.module.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f3400e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/notifications/notifications.module.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// src/notifications/notifications.module.ts
+import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { NotificationsController } from './notifications.controller';
+import { NotificationsService } from './notifcations.service';
+
+@Module({
+  providers: [NotificationsService],
+  controllers: [NotificationsController],
+  exports: [NotificationsService],
+})
+export class NotificationsModule {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/utils/error.ts b/backend/src/utils/error.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..739ad7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/utils/error.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+interface AwsCognitoError extends Error {
+    code?: string;
+    [key: string]: any; // Allows for additional props
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/Login.tsx b/frontend/src/Login.tsx
index 1964e7f..ebd65df 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Login.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/Login.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const Login = observer(() => {
       if (data.access_token) {
         setAuthentication(true, data.user, data.access_token);
         navigate('/dashboard');
+        alert(data.message); // Alert wit message from backend indicating success
       } else {
         alert('Login failed. Please check your credentials.');
       }