diff --git a/src/ast.rs b/src/ast.rs
index 752640c..db13900 100644
--- a/src/ast.rs
+++ b/src/ast.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ use crate::value::Symbol;
 use bumpalo::collections::Vec;
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
-pub struct Ident {
-    pub sym: Symbol,
+pub struct Ident<'ast> {
+    pub sym: Symbol<'ast>,
     pub span: Span,
 }
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ pub enum Stmt<'ast> {
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Declaration<'ast> {
     pub span: Span,
-    pub name: Ident,
+    pub name: Ident<'ast>,
     pub init: Expr<'ast>,
 }
 
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ pub struct Assignment<'ast> {
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct FnDecl<'ast> {
     pub span: Span,
-    pub name: Ident,
-    pub params: Vec<'ast, Ident>,
+    pub name: Ident<'ast>,
+    pub params: Vec<'ast, Ident<'ast>>,
     pub body: Block<'ast>,
 }
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ pub struct WhileStmt<'ast> {
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Expr<'ast> {
-    Ident(Ident),
+    Ident(Ident<'ast>),
     Literal(Literal<'ast>),
     UnaryOp(&'ast UnaryOp<'ast>),
     BinaryOp(&'ast BinaryOp<'ast>),
@@ -180,6 +180,6 @@ pub struct Call<'ast> {
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum CallKind<'ast> {
-    Field(Ident),
+    Field(Ident<'ast>),
     Fn(Vec<'ast, Expr<'ast>>),
 }
diff --git a/src/bytecode.rs b/src/bytecode.rs
index f795a31..af8d2ee 100644
--- a/src/bytecode.rs
+++ b/src/bytecode.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! The bytecode that is executed in the vm
 
 use crate::errors::Span;
-use crate::value::{HashMap, Symbol};
+use crate::value::{HashMap, NewSym};
 use bumpalo::boxed::Box;
 use bumpalo::collections::Vec;
 use std::rc::Rc;
@@ -50,5 +50,5 @@ pub enum Value {
     Num(f64),
     String(Rc<str>),
     Array,
-    Object(HashMap<Symbol, Value>),
+    Object(HashMap<NewSym, Value>),
 }
diff --git a/src/compile.rs b/src/compile.rs
index 741b17e..248e77a 100644
--- a/src/compile.rs
+++ b/src/compile.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::ast::{
 };
 use crate::bytecode::{FnBlock, Instr, Value};
 use crate::errors::{CompilerError, Span};
-use crate::value::{HashMap, Symbol};
+use crate::value::HashMap;
 use bumpalo::boxed::Box;
 use bumpalo::collections::Vec;
 use bumpalo::Bump;
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ use std::rc::Rc;
 type CResult<T> = Result<T, CompilerError>;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
-struct Env {
-    locals: HashMap<Symbol, usize>,
-    outer: Option<Rc<RefCell<Env>>>,
+struct Env<'ast> {
+    locals: HashMap<&'ast str, usize>,
+    outer: Option<Rc<RefCell<Env<'ast>>>>,
 }
 
-impl Env {
+impl Env<'_> {
     fn lookup_local(&self, name: &Ident) -> CResult<usize> {
         fn lookup_inner(env: &Env, name: &Ident) -> Option<usize> {
-            env.locals.get(&name.sym).copied().or_else(|| {
+            env.locals.get(name.sym.as_str()).copied().or_else(|| {
                 env.outer
                     .as_ref()
                     .map(|outer| lookup_inner(&outer.borrow(), name))
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ impl Env {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
-struct Compiler<'bc> {
+struct Compiler<'ast, 'bc> {
     blocks: Vec<'bc, FnBlock<'bc>>,
     current_block: usize,
     bump: &'bc Bump,
     /// the current local variables that are in scope, only needed for compiling
-    env: Rc<RefCell<Env>>,
+    env: Rc<RefCell<Env<'ast>>>,
 }
 
 pub fn compile<'bc>(
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ pub fn compile<'bc>(
     Ok(compiler.blocks)
 }
 
-impl<'bc> Compiler<'bc> {
-    fn compile(&mut self, ast: &Program) -> CResult<()> {
+impl<'ast, 'bc> Compiler<'ast, 'bc> {
+    fn compile(&mut self, ast: &'ast Program<'ast>) -> CResult<()> {
         let global_block = FnBlock {
             code: Vec::new_in(self.bump),
             stack_sizes: Vec::new_in(self.bump),
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl<'bc> Compiler<'bc> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn compile_stmts(&mut self, stmts: &[Stmt]) -> CResult<()> {
+    fn compile_stmts(&mut self, stmts: &'ast [Stmt]) -> CResult<()> {
         for stmt in stmts {
             match stmt {
                 Stmt::Declaration(inner) => self.compile_declaration(inner),
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ impl<'bc> Compiler<'bc> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn compile_declaration(&mut self, declaration: &Declaration) -> CResult<()> {
+    fn compile_declaration(&mut self, declaration: &'ast Declaration<'ast>) -> CResult<()> {
         // Compile the expression, the result of the expression will be the last thing left on the stack
         self.compile_expr(&declaration.init)?;
         // Now just remember that the value at this stack location is this variable name
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ impl<'bc> Compiler<'bc> {
         self.env
             .borrow_mut()
             .locals
-            .insert(declaration.name.sym.clone(), stack_pos);
+            .insert(declaration.name.sym.as_str(), stack_pos);
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ impl<'bc> Compiler<'bc> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn compile_block(&mut self, block: &Block) -> CResult<()> {
+    fn compile_block(&mut self, block: &'ast Block) -> CResult<()> {
         let next_env = Env::new_inner(self.env.clone());
         self.env = next_env;
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 0c8ecd0..6aa1cf4 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 fn main() {
     if let Some(filename) = std::env::args().nth(1) {
-        match std::fs::read_to_string(filename) {
-            Ok(contents) => {
-                dilaria::run_program(&contents);
-            }
-            Err(err) => {
-                eprintln!("{}", err);
-            }
-        }
+        // match Ok("fn main() {}") {
+        //     Ok(contents) => {
+        dilaria::run_program("fn main() {}");
+        //     }
+        //     Err(err) => {
+        //         eprintln!("{}", err);
+        //     }
+        // }
     } else {
         eprintln!("Usage: <filename>")
     }
diff --git a/src/parse.rs b/src/parse.rs
index bf26f1f..a2104a9 100644
--- a/src/parse.rs
+++ b/src/parse.rs
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ where
         }))
     }
 
-    fn fn_args(&mut self) -> ParseResult<Vec<'ast, Ident>> {
+    fn fn_args(&mut self) -> ParseResult<Vec<'ast, Ident<'ast>>> {
         enter_parse!(self);
 
         self.expect(TokenKind::ParenO)?;
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ where
                 Ok(expr)
             }
             TokenKind::Ident(name) => {
-                let name_owned = name.to_owned();
+                let name_owned = bumpalo::collections::String::from_str_in(name, self.bump);
                 Ok(Expr::Ident(Ident {
                     sym: name_owned,
                     span: next.span,
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ where
         return_expr
     }
 
-    fn ident(&mut self) -> ParseResult<Ident> {
+    fn ident(&mut self) -> ParseResult<Ident<'ast>> {
         enter_parse!(self);
 
         let Token { kind, span } = self
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ where
             .ok_or_else(|| CompilerError::eof("identifier"))?;
         let return_expr = match kind {
             TokenKind::Ident(name) => {
-                let name_owned = name.to_owned();
+                let name_owned = bumpalo::collections::String::from_str_in(name, self.bump);
                 Ok(Ident {
                     sym: name_owned,
                     span,
diff --git a/src/value.rs b/src/value.rs
index 34db50c..7a97119 100644
--- a/src/value.rs
+++ b/src/value.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use std::ops::Deref;
 use std::ptr::NonNull;
 
 /// imagine interning or something here
-pub type Symbol = String;
+pub type Symbol<'ast> = bumpalo::collections::String<'ast>;
 
 /// here is the actual interning or something
 pub type NewSym = Gc<str>;