diff --git a/.babelrc b/.babelrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3e53af2e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.babelrc
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "presets": ["@babel/preset-env"]
+  }
+  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 96427a583..8a1d667cf 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1 +1,12 @@
 // Write your code in this file!
+// Define the currentUser variable
+const currentUser = 'Grace Hopper';
+
+// Define the welcomeMessage variable, concatenating strings
+const welcomeMessage = 'Welcome to Flatbook, ' + currentUser;
+
+// Define the excitedWelcomeMessage variable, converting the welcomeMessage to uppercase
+const excitedWelcomeMessage = welcomeMessage.toUpperCase();
+
+// Define the shortGreeting variable, using only the first letter of currentUser
+const shortGreeting = `Welcome, ${currentUser.slice(0, 1)}!`;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2d4342e4f..690206b36 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,14 +24,16 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/learn-co-curriculum/js-basics-strings-code-along#readme",
   "devDependencies": {
-    "babel-core": "6.26.3",
-    "babel-preset-env": "1.7.0",
+    "@babel/core": "^7.26.0",
+    "@babel/preset-env": "^7.26.0",
+    "babel-core": "^5.8.38",
+    "babel-preset-env": "^0.0.0",
     "chai": "4.1.2",
-    "jsdom": "9.2.1",
-    "mocha": "5.2.0",
+    "chai-spies-next": "^0.9.3",
+    "jsdom": "^25.0.1",
+    "mocha": "^11.0.1",
     "mocha-jsdom": "~1.1.0",
-    "mocha-multi": "1.0.1",
-    "chai-spies-next": "^0.9.3"
+    "mocha-multi": "^1.1.7"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "sinon": "^7.3.2"