Summer in the City

Photo Caption: Evy, Erica, Marissa at the Parade at the Circle with our roomate Archana

There's been hippies hula-hooping in the middle of the street, live music on Wednesday nights, golfing (ask Erica who lost),a parade of peculiar costumes and floats, rocking chairs on the front porch, and entirely too much delcious food being grilled up in the backyard.

Through all the craziness that has become our summer in Cleveland, we may never have imagined that our days on Hessler Road could be this much fun. Pack up the books and bring out the sunshine, and the campus completely transforms... well kind of, considering Erica and Evy spend most of their days at the library studying for
their exams, (Erica takes the MCAT and Evy takes the GRE in July--nerds).

As my dorky roommates studiously flip through flash cards and practice exams I, (yes this is Marissa writing most of this, sorry its past 9:30 PM which means that the other two are pretty much useless at this point) spend my days sporting a cute high-waisted engineering uniform and safety glasses. Don't worry, Evy's vet scrubs aren't much better (yes, she spends her afternoons feeding kittens and walking puppies).

Our summer started off on the right note with the celebration of the annual Hessler Street Fair. Vendors lined our little one-way brick road with food trucks, jewlery makers, and a pottery lady named Beth (our new friend). We got henna tattoos, visited the drum circle, and danced under the stars as Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band took the stage with ragae music that "touched Erica's soul."

We spend most of our evenings hanging out on the front porch, working out, and making delicious dinner together (Evy would like to have a shout-out as "Grill Master" so out of pitty I will give it to her). With too many annoying "Call Me Maybe" repeats and a few water fights, it may be a surprise that we have not yet killed each other. However, there's much more to cross off of the summer bucket list ... swimming in Lake Erie, taking a trip to Cedar Point, and going to an Indians game.

I think I have seen more sun here in the last month than I have in the last three years here... and not complaining, but with 4th of July quickly approaching, there is much more fun to be had.

I'd like to take this time to quickly point out the fact that Erica and I have successfully influenced a taste for country music upon our good friend Evy.

That being said, it's probably about time to wrap this up, some of us (just me actually) have internships worth waking up at 5:30 AM for. If you find yourself
in the area in the coming months, be sure to stop by and visit us.. please, I could really use a break from these two!!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, friends!
With Much Love,
Marissa, Erica, and Evy

Meet our First Year Spartans--Erica Iafelice

The first time I walked around Case’s campus I noticed that the weather was rainy and overcast, the students and staff were focused and friendly, and there was something strangely unique about the basketball program. Oddly enough, I felt right at home. As a soon to be incoming freshman, I had endless questions about the campus, student life, the basketball program, and most importantly what the university could offer me academically.

All of my worries were soon put to rest after meeting and chatting with Coach Reimer, her staff, and her fun and talented athletes. They shared with me the countless opportunities a degree from Case can offer and the quality of people I would be working with both on and off the court on a daily basis.

As I reflected among the many experiences I would encounter while attending one of the nation’s leading research Universities, the choice as to where I should spend the next four years of my life was quite obvious.

Luckily for me, I am used to rainy summer days and snow-filled winter nights as I live a short hour-long car ride south of Cleveland in the beautiful dogwood city of North Canton. While at Case I plan to major in Biology with a minor in Sports Medicine in hopes of one day becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This career choice would not only give me the opportunity to work with athletes, but would also help me understand the countless injuries I seem to come by while on the court.

It would be fascinating if I were able to tell you interesting facts about myself such as jumping out of planes and swimming with sharks, but unfortunately, I cannot. I can, however, share that I once competed in the Soapbox Derby (if you know what that means, then yes, it is quite embarrassing) snuck backstage to meet Colbie Caillat, biked down an active volcano, and am completely confident, thankful, and excited about my decision to not only attend Case but to be a member of our exceptional basketball program.