diff --git a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/(hub)/schedule/page.tsx b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/(hub)/schedule/page.tsx
index 0ecae9f9..7500152e 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/(hub)/schedule/page.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/(hub)/schedule/page.tsx
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export default function Page() {
           setIsMobileFilterOpen={schedule.setIsMobileFilterOpen}
         />
 
-        <div className="w-full md:col-start-2 md:row-start-3 mb-[100px] mt-2 md:mt-[24px] lg:mt-[48px] flex flex-col gap-[12px] md:gap-[20px]">
+        <div className="w-full md:col-start-2 md:row-start-3 mb-[60px] flex flex-col gap-[12px] md:gap-[20px]">
           {schedule.isInitialLoad ? (
             <div>
               <p>loading...</p>
diff --git a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/HomeHacking/HeroHacking.tsx b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/HomeHacking/HeroHacking.tsx
index aeb69a7d..17646cd3 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/HomeHacking/HeroHacking.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/HomeHacking/HeroHacking.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { GoArrowRight } from 'react-icons/go';
 import Countdown from './_components/Countdown';
 import clouds from '@public/hackers/hero/Clouds.svg';
 import starLeft from '@public/hackers/hero/StarLeft.svg';
+import startRight from '@public/hackers/hero/StarRight.svg';
 
 interface HeroHackingProps {
   rolloutTime?: number;
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ export default function HeroHacking({
               {/* Decorative stars */}
               <Image
                 src={starLeft}
-                alt=""
+                alt="sparkling star"
                 width={120}
                 height={120}
                 className="
@@ -75,14 +76,14 @@ export default function HeroHacking({
               />
 
               <Image
-                src="/hackers/hero/StarRight.svg"
-                alt=""
+                src={startRight}
+                alt="sparkling star"
                 width={120}
                 height={120}
                 className="
                     pointer-events-none select-none
                     absolute z-20
-                    -right-2 top-[10%]
+                    -right-2 top-[0%]
                     w-[56px] sm:w-[70px] md:w-[84px] lg:w-[96px]
                     rotate-[10deg]
                   "
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ export default function HeroHacking({
                       <span
                         className="text-white font-medium tracking-[4.601px]"
                         style={{
-                          fontSize: 'clamp(28px, 6vw, 90px)',
+                          fontSize: 'clamp(30px, 10.2vw, 195px)', // a bit smaller than to countown timer font
                           textShadow: '0 0 31.729px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.30)',
                         }}
                       >
diff --git a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/CalendarItem.tsx b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/CalendarItem.tsx
index 3ca6b585..c44cf270 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/CalendarItem.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/CalendarItem.tsx
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ export function CalendarItem({
                 }}
                 variant="ghost"
               >
-                <p className="font-semibold relative z-10 inline-flex items-center gap-2">
+                <p className="font-semibold relative text-[14px] z-10 inline-flex items-center gap-2">
                   <span
                     aria-hidden
                     className="inline-block w-4 h-4"
diff --git a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/DayNavButtons.tsx b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/DayNavButtons.tsx
index 51c127c3..3360e4a2 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/DayNavButtons.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/DayNavButtons.tsx
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ export default function DayNavButtons({
           >
             {'\u2022'}
           </span>
-          <span className="font-dm-mono pl-5">{DAY_LABELS[dayKey]}</span>
+          <span className="font-dm-mono text-[16px] pl-5">
+            {DAY_LABELS[dayKey]}
+          </span>
         </button>
       ))}
     </div>
diff --git a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/ScheduleControls.tsx b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/ScheduleControls.tsx
index 95425a1d..2ef7fc31 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/ScheduleControls.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/(hackers)/_components/Schedule/ScheduleControls.tsx
@@ -139,11 +139,11 @@ export default function ScheduleControls({
       </div>
 
       <div className="hidden md:contents">
-        <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 md:col-start-2 md:row-start-2 md:mt-8">
+        <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 md:col-start-2 md:row-start-2 md:my-[1.25rem]">
           <Filters toggleFilter={toggleFilter} activeFilters={activeFilters} />
         </div>
 
-        <div className="shrink-0 md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:mt-8 sticky top-20">
+        <div className="shrink-0 md:col-start-1 md:row-start-2 md:mt-0 sticky top-20">
           <DayNavButtons
             activeDay={activeDay}
             onSelectDay={changeActiveDay}
diff --git a/app/(pages)/_hooks/useScheduleData.ts b/app/(pages)/_hooks/useScheduleData.ts
index 7f2e7244..ba94a0a8 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/_hooks/useScheduleData.ts
+++ b/app/(pages)/_hooks/useScheduleData.ts
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@ export function useScheduleData(): UseScheduleDataResult {
     setActiveFilters([...withoutAll, label]);
   };
 
-  const isInitialLoad = userLoading; // only show loading state for initial rendering; avoid non ui-friendly refresh after data has loaded
+  const isInitialLoad =
+    userLoading || (activeTab === 'schedule' && scheduleData === null); // only show loading state for initial rendering; avoid non ui-friendly refresh after data has loaded
   const isError = Boolean(personalEventsError || eventsError);
 
   return {