My Beloved World

During her first week at Princeton, Sotomayor’s classmates seem “to come from another planet and that impression was reciprocated” (141). Her roommate is Dolores Chavez of New Mexico, “a country girl, sweet-tempered, shy, and very far from home” (141). Though she typically considers herself social, Sotomayor is quiet during her first days, as she attempts to interpret the conversations happening around her. When she feels “out of place or homesick,” she retreats to Firestone Library (142). Books have always helped her through hard times, and she finds their presence both comforting and a reminder of why she has come to Princeton. There, she realizes again and more fully how much knowledge exists in the world. She uses the library to help her make sense of the course catalogue, reading up on subjects to help her narrow her options. She also realizes that students coming from better-resourced schools are ahead of her. Those who took Advanced Placement classes are able to jump ahead while Sotomayor has to content herself with introductory surveys to fill her perceived gaps in knowledge. She feels insecure and worries that she is being lazy or is not as smart as the others.