<!--The Html -->
 <div id="user_control" >
       <h5 id="username"><a id="prof_link"href="https://urlinq.com/beta/profile.php?user_id=285 + $user_id"> <?php echo $firstname1 . ' ' . $lastname1; ?> </a></h5>
        <div id="profile_pic"></div>
        <div class="user_status_image"></div>
        <h6 id="user_status"> Online </h6>
        <p id="user_department"> Computer Science and Engineering</p>
        <p id="user_school"> NYU Polytechnic School Of Engineering</p>
        <div class="user_menu_image"></div>
        <div id='the_menu'>
            <ul id="menu_list">
               <li class='menu_item' id="menu_item_1"><a href='index.html'><span class="item" id="set_away">Set Yourself Away</span></a></li>
               <li class='menu_item' id="menu_item_2"><a href="https://urlinq.com/beta/profile.php?user_id=285 + $user_id"><span class="item"><div class="edit_profile_menu_image"></div>Edit Profile</span></a></li>
               <li class='menu_item' id="menu_item_3"><a href="https://urlinq.com/beta/profile.php?user_id=285 + $user_id"><span class="item"><div class="see_profile_menu_image"></div>Your Profile</span></a></li>
               <li class='menu_item' id="menu_item_4"><a href='php/logout.php'><span class="item"><div class="signout_menu_image"></div>Sign Out</span></a></li>
            </ul>
        </div>
    </div>