diff --git a/public/admin.css b/public/admin.css
index 0bbf891..a09fd5e 100644
--- a/public/admin.css
+++ b/public/admin.css
@@ -418,4 +418,13 @@ body{font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;b
 .worker-counts .chip.skipped b{color:var(--muted)}
 .worker-counts .chip.reverted b{color:var(--accent)}
 
+@keyframes entryEnter{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:none}}
+@keyframes entryPopIn{0%{opacity:0;transform:translateY(26px) scale(.95)}55%{opacity:1;transform:translateY(-5px) scale(1.015)}100%{opacity:1;transform:none}}
+@keyframes entryFadeOut{to{opacity:0}}
+.entry-enter{animation:entryEnter .4s cubic-bezier(.22,1,.36,1) both}
+.entry-appear{animation:entryPopIn .6s cubic-bezier(.22,1,.36,1) both;position:relative}
+.entry-appear::before{content:'';position:absolute;inset:-1px;border-radius:inherit;box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(247,201,14,.9),0 10px 30px rgba(247,201,14,.4);animation:entryFadeOut 2.4s ease .35s both;pointer-events:none}
+.entry-appear::after{content:'';position:absolute;inset:0;border-radius:inherit;background:linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(247,201,14,.16),transparent 55%);animation:entryFadeOut 2.4s ease .35s both;pointer-events:none}
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.entry-enter,.entry-appear,.entry-appear::before,.entry-appear::after{animation:none}}
+
 
diff --git a/public/js/journal.js b/public/js/journal.js
index 56999e3..ed19784 100644
--- a/public/js/journal.js
+++ b/public/js/journal.js
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 let currentEntries = [];
+let seenEntryIds = new Set();
+let highlightNewIds = new Set();
+let highlightClearTimer = null;
 let editId = null;
 let editGroups = [];
 let groupsLoaded = false;
@@ -91,7 +94,7 @@ async function detachFile(id) {
 function gridEntryHTML(e) {
   const mp = mainPhotoPath(e);
   return `
-    <div class="card">
+    <div class="card${highlightNewIds.has(e.id) ? ' entry-appear' : ' entry-enter'}">
       ${mp ? `<img src="${thumbSrc(mp)}" data-img="${API}${mp}" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="">` : ''}
         <div class="info">
         <div class="name">${esc(e.student_name)}</div>
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ function gridEntryHTML(e) {
 function cardEntryHTML(e) {
   const mp = mainPhotoPath(e);
   return `
-    <div class="journal-card">
+    <div class="journal-card${highlightNewIds.has(e.id) ? ' entry-appear' : ' entry-enter'}">
       ${mp
         ? `<img src="${thumbSrc(mp)}" data-img="${API}${mp}" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="">`
         : `<div class="no-photo"><svg viewBox="0 0 240 160" preserveAspectRatio="xMidYMid meet" aria-hidden="true"><circle cx="105" cy="48" r="15"/><path d="M74 140 C74 106 88 92 105 92 C122 92 136 106 136 140 Z"/><circle cx="145" cy="58" r="18"/><path d="M108 144 C108 104 124 88 145 88 C166 88 182 104 182 144 Z"/></svg></div>`}
@@ -151,6 +154,10 @@ function renderGrid() {
     grid.className = 'grid';
     grid.innerHTML = currentEntries.map(gridEntryHTML).join('');
   }
+  const items = Array.from(grid.children);
+  items.forEach((el, i) => {
+    el.style.animationDelay = `${Math.min(i * 45, 500)}ms`;
+  });
   renderIcons();
 }
 
@@ -208,6 +215,14 @@ async function loadEntries() {
   p.set('offset', (page - 1) * PAGE_SIZE);
   const res = await fetch(`${API}/api/entries?${p}`, { headers: hdr() });
   const data = await res.json();
+  const firstLoad = seenEntryIds.size === 0;
+  const newIds = firstLoad ? [] : data.entries.filter(e => !seenEntryIds.has(e.id)).map(e => e.id);
+  if (newIds.length) {
+    highlightNewIds = new Set([...highlightNewIds, ...newIds]);
+    if (highlightClearTimer) clearTimeout(highlightClearTimer);
+    highlightClearTimer = setTimeout(() => { highlightNewIds = new Set(); }, 8000);
+  }
+  data.entries.forEach(e => seenEntryIds.add(e.id));
   currentEntries = data.entries;
   totalEntries = data.total;
   renderGrid();