diff --git a/.emacs b/.emacs
index 691aae6..365ed25 100644
--- a/.emacs
+++ b/.emacs
@@ -1,18 +1,85 @@
-(setq inhibit-startup-message t)  ;; Hide the startup message
+;; Thank you Bozhidar Batsov for inspiration!
+;; Inspirational config found from https://github.com/bbatsov/emacs.d/
+;; Also check out Emacs Prelude at https://github.com/bbatsov/prelude/
+(setq inhibit-startup-message t)
 (global-linum-mode t)
 (global-whitespace-mode t)
+(delete-selection-mode t)
+(global-tab-line-mode t)
+(when (fboundp 'tool-bar-mode)
+  (tool-bar-mode -1))
 (setq backward-delete-char-untabify-method nil)
 (setq c-default-style '((java-mode . "java") (awk-mode . "awk") (other . "linux")))
 (defalias 'yes-or-no-p 'y-or-n-p)
+
+;; mode line settings
+(line-number-mode t)
+(column-number-mode t)
+(size-indication-mode t)
+
+
+;; nice scrolling
+(setq scroll-margin 0
+      scroll-conservatively 100000
+      scroll-preserve-screen-position 1)
+
+;; store all backup and autosave files in the tmp dir
+(setq backup-directory-alist
+      `((".*" . ,temporary-file-directory)))
+(setq auto-save-file-name-transforms
+      `((".*" ,temporary-file-directory t)))
+
+
+(require 'package)
+
+(add-to-list 'package-archives
+	     '("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/") t)
+;; keep the installed packages in .emacs.d
+(setq package-user-dir (expand-file-name "elpa" user-emacs-directory))
+(package-initialize)
+;; update the package metadata is the local cache is missing
+(unless package-archive-contents
+  (package-refresh-contents))
+
+(unless (package-installed-p 'use-package)
+  (package-install 'use-package))
+
+(require 'use-package)
+(setq use-package-verbose t)
+
+(use-package hl-line
+  :config
+  (global-hl-line-mode +1))
+
+(use-package monokai-theme
+  :ensure t
+  :config
+  (load-theme 'monokai t))
+
+(use-package magit
+  :ensure t
+  :bind (("C-x g" . magit-status)))
+
+(use-package rust-mode
+  :ensure t)
+
+(use-package which-key
+  :ensure t
+  :config
+  (which-key-mode +1)
+  ;(diminish 'which-key-mode)
+  )
+
 (custom-set-variables
  ;; custom-set-variables was added by Custom.
  ;; If you edit it by hand, you could mess it up, so be careful.
  ;; Your init file should contain only one such instance.
  ;; If there is more than one, they won't work right.
- '(custom-enabled-themes '(tango-dark)))
+ '(package-selected-packages '(which-key rust-mode magit monokai-theme use-package)))
 (custom-set-faces
  ;; custom-set-faces was added by Custom.
  ;; If you edit it by hand, you could mess it up, so be careful.
  ;; Your init file should contain only one such instance.
  ;; If there is more than one, they won't work right.
  )
+(put 'dired-find-alternate-file 'disabled nil)