diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/app/(auth)/layout.tsx b/thoughts-frontend/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
index 4867b37..d948319 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export default function AuthLayout({
   children: React.ReactNode;
 }) {
   return (
-    <div className="flex items-center justify-center min-h-screen bg-gray-100">
+    <div className="flex items-center justify-center min-h-screen">
       {children}
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/app/page.tsx b/thoughts-frontend/app/page.tsx
index a00fce5..7a0b476 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/app/page.tsx
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/app/page.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import { cookies } from "next/headers";
-import { getFeed, getMe, getUserProfile, Me, User } from "@/lib/api";
+import {
+  getFeed,
+  getFriends,
+  getMe,
+  getUserProfile,
+  Me,
+  User,
+} from "@/lib/api";
 import { PostThoughtForm } from "@/components/post-thought-form";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import Link from "next/link";
@@ -39,11 +46,14 @@ async function FeedPage({ token }: { token: string }) {
     feedData.thoughts
   );
 
+  const friends = (await getFriends(token)).users.map((user) => user.username);
+  const shouldDisplayTopFriends = me?.topFriends && me.topFriends.length > 8;
+
   return (
     <div className="container mx-auto max-w-6xl p-4 sm:p-6">
       <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-4 gap-8">
         <aside className="hidden lg:block lg:col-span-1">
-          <div className="sticky top-20 space-y-6">
+          <div className="sticky top-20 space-y-6 glass-effect glossy-effect bottom rounded-md p-4">
             <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Filters & Sorting</h2>
             <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Coming soon...</p>
           </div>
@@ -74,8 +84,11 @@ async function FeedPage({ token }: { token: string }) {
 
         <aside className="hidden lg:block lg:col-span-1">
           <div className="sticky top-20 space-y-6">
-            {me?.topFriends && <TopFriends usernames={me.topFriends} />}
+            {shouldDisplayTopFriends && (
+              <TopFriends mode="top-friends" usernames={me.topFriends} />
+            )}
             <PopularTags />
+            {token && <TopFriends mode="friends" usernames={friends || []} />}
           </div>
         </aside>
       </div>
diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/app/users/[username]/page.tsx b/thoughts-frontend/app/users/[username]/page.tsx
index 8104541..2254567 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/app/users/[username]/page.tsx
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/app/users/[username]/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   getFollowersList,
   getFollowingList,
+  getFriends,
   getMe,
   getUserProfile,
   getUserThoughts,
@@ -75,6 +76,13 @@ export default async function ProfilePage({ params }: ProfilePageProps) {
   const authorDetails = new Map<string, { avatarUrl?: string | null }>();
   authorDetails.set(user.username, { avatarUrl: user.avatarUrl });
 
+  const friends =
+    typeof token === "string"
+      ? (await getFriends(token)).users.map((user) => user.username)
+      : [];
+
+  const shouldDisplayTopFriends = token && friends.length > 8;
+
   return (
     <div id={`profile-page-${user.username}`}>
       {user.customCss && (
@@ -186,7 +194,10 @@ export default async function ProfilePage({ params }: ProfilePageProps) {
               </div>
             </Card>
 
-            <TopFriends usernames={user.topFriends} />
+            {shouldDisplayTopFriends && (
+              <TopFriends mode="top-friends" usernames={user.topFriends} />
+            )}
+            {token && <TopFriends mode="friends" usernames={friends || []} />}
           </div>
         </aside>
 
diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/components/header.tsx b/thoughts-frontend/components/header.tsx
index ced419c..020b080 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/components/header.tsx
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/components/header.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export function Header() {
             <UserNav />
           ) : (
             <>
-              <Button asChild variant="ghost" size="sm">
+              <Button asChild size="sm">
                 <Link href="/login">Login</Link>
               </Button>
               <Button asChild size="sm">
diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/components/top-friends.tsx b/thoughts-frontend/components/top-friends.tsx
index 0a57f61..b7aed43 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/components/top-friends.tsx
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/components/top-friends.tsx
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ import { getUserProfile, User } from "@/lib/api";
 import { cookies } from "next/headers";
 
 interface TopFriendsProps {
+  mode: "friends" | "top-friends";
   usernames: string[];
 }
 
-// This is an async Server Component
-export async function TopFriends({ usernames }: TopFriendsProps) {
+export async function TopFriends({
+  mode = "top-friends",
+  usernames,
+}: TopFriendsProps) {
   const token = (await cookies()).get("auth_token")?.value ?? null;
 
   if (usernames.length === 0) {
@@ -27,7 +30,6 @@ export async function TopFriends({ usernames }: TopFriendsProps) {
     );
   }
 
-  // Fetch all top friend profiles in parallel
   const friendsResults = await Promise.allSettled(
     usernames.map((username) => getUserProfile(username, token))
   );
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ export async function TopFriends({ usernames }: TopFriendsProps) {
     <Card id="top-friends" className="p-4">
       <CardHeader id="top-friends__header" className="p-0 pb-2">
         <CardTitle id="top-friends__title" className="text-lg text-shadow-md">
-          Top Friends
+          {mode === "top-friends" ? "Top Friends" : "Friends"}
         </CardTitle>
       </CardHeader>
       <CardContent id="top-friends__content" className="p-0">
diff --git a/thoughts-frontend/lib/api.ts b/thoughts-frontend/lib/api.ts
index f981347..67cdcb8 100644
--- a/thoughts-frontend/lib/api.ts
+++ b/thoughts-frontend/lib/api.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export const CreateThoughtSchema = z.object({
 
 export const UpdateProfileSchema = z.object({
   displayName: z.string().max(50).optional(),
-  bio: z.string().max(160).optional(),
+  bio: z.string().max(4000).optional(),
   avatarUrl: z.url().or(z.literal("")).optional(),
   headerUrl: z.url().or(z.literal("")).optional(),
   customCss: z.string().optional(),