I just got my kit and was putting it together for the first time and the lcd lights up but flickers and shows no message. I checked the circuit and everything seems in place. I checked the output voltage from the regulator and I'm getting the source 7.35V out of it.

Hi snajim -

It looks like you are powering your positive (red) rail with the 9-volt battery and not the voltage regulator output pin (see row 29 on the breadboard). You should connect the red rail to the voltage regulator output pin located on row 27. Hope this works.

haha yes I noticed this shortly after posting it. It did fix the problem! thanks a bunch!