diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/ConversationListAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/ConversationListAdapter.kt
index 9ce0287..2a83c27 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/ConversationListAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/ConversationListAdapter.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package com.example.markmoussa.meshchatapplication
 
 import android.content.Context
 import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
+import android.util.Log
 import android.view.LayoutInflater
 import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
@@ -57,8 +58,13 @@ class ConversationListAdapter(private val mContext: Context, private val mConver
              } else {
                  usernameText.text = conversation.user.userIdentifier.toString()
              }
-            if(conversation.messageList != null) {
-                messagePreviewText.text = conversation.messageList.getMessageStringAtIndex(conversation.messageList.lastReadIndex)
+            if(!(conversation.messageList?.getMessages()!!.isEmpty())) {
+
+                var messagePreview = conversation.messageList.getMessageStringAtIndex(conversation.messageList.getMessages().size - 1)
+                if(!(messagePreview.isNullOrEmpty()) && messagePreview!!.length > 40) {
+                    messagePreview = messagePreview.substring(0, 33) + "..."
+                }
+                messagePreviewText.text = messagePreview
             } else {
                 messagePreviewText.text = ""
             }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/Store.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/Store.kt
index 4b1a2b9..7290840 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/Store.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/example/markmoussa/meshchatapplication/Store.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package com.example.markmoussa.meshchatapplication
 // link: https://github.com/Hype-Labs/HypeChatDemo.android
 
 import android.content.Context
+import android.util.Log
 import java.io.Serializable
 import java.lang.ref.WeakReference
 import java.util.Vector
@@ -60,11 +61,12 @@ class Store(val userIdentifier: Long): Serializable {
     }
 
     fun getMessageStringAtIndex(index: Int): String? {
-        if(messages.isEmpty() || messages!!.size >= index) {
+        if(messages.isEmpty() || messages!!.size < index) {
+            Log.d("Store", "this was activated")
             // this means there's no message at this index and therefore need to return null
             return null
         }
-        return messages[index].first.toString()
+        return messages[index].first
 
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_conversation.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_conversation.xml
index e0833f9..20ff729 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_conversation.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_conversation.xml
@@ -9,36 +9,39 @@
         android:id="@+id/userNameTextView"
         android:layout_width="0dp"
         android:layout_height="20dp"
+        android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
         android:layout_marginEnd="168dp"
+        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
         android:text="TextView"
-        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/messagePreviewTextView"
         app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/onlineStatusIcon"
         app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/profilePicImageView"
         app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
 
     <TextView
         android:id="@+id/messagePreviewTextView"
-        android:layout_width="0dp"
-        android:layout_height="0dp"
-        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
+        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
+        android:layout_marginTop="44dp"
         android:text="TextView"
         app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
-        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@+id/onlineStatusIcon"
-        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@+id/userNameTextView"
-        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/timestampTextView" />
+        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/profilePicImageView"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
 
 
     <ImageView
         android:id="@+id/profilePicImageView"
-        android:src="@drawable/default_user_image"
         android:layout_width="61dp"
         android:layout_height="42dp"
         android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
         android:layout_marginStart="19dp"
-        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/messagePreviewTextView"
+        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
+        android:src="@drawable/default_user_image"
         app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/userNameTextView"
         app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/messagePreviewTextView"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
         app:srcCompat="@android:drawable/picture_frame" />
 
     <TextView