body {
  overflow: hidden;
  color: black;
  /* else defaults to have padding nonzero */
  padding: 0;

  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 8fr;
  grid-template-rows: 1fr 8fr 1fr;
  grid-template-areas: 
  "sidebar header" 
  "sidebar main" 
  "footer footer";

}

/*  I only found out using the "large" display as a base is  
 *  a bad practice after writing this. I realize this is suboptimal.
 */ 
@media screen and (width <= 500px) {
  /* new sidebar size for small display */
  body {
    grid-template-columns: 12% 1fr;
  }
  /* make text in sidebar vanish on small display */
  body > section > ul > li > a > span {
    display: none;
  }
}


body > section {
  border-right: 1px solid var(--border-color);
  grid-area: sidebar;

  & ul {
    list-style-type: none;
    padding-inline-start: 0;
    padding: 1rem;

    & li {
      padding: 0.5rem;
    }

    & li > a {
      color: #999;
      font-size: 14px;
      text-decoration: none;
    }
    & li > a:hover {
      color: black;
    }
  }
}

body > header {
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-color);

  grid-area: header;

  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
  padding: 0.5rem;

  & h1 {
    font-size: 1.75rem;
    margin: 0;
    flex-grow: 1;
  }
  /* icons */
  & i {
    padding: 0.25rem;
  }
}

body > main {
  grid-area: main;
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  justify-content: flex-start;

  /* I'm unsure on how to do this without using margins */
  & article {
    margin-left: 1rem;
    margin-top: 1rem;
  }

  height: calc(100vh - 100px);
  overflow-y: scroll;
}

body > footer {
  grid-area: footer;
  padding: 0.5rem;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;

  border-top: 1px solid var(--border-color);
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
}