For the next eight months, the future of my career is (mostly) out of my hands

It is a ritual that most academics hope to be able to participate in, but that does not make it any less excruciating. Where else but academia do we get the chance to argue for our own permanent employment? Where else but academia is the process so exhaustive and complicated? Where else is there so much to potentially gain but simultaneously so much to potentially lose?

Well, whatever the outcome will be, I have done it: I just submitted my application for promotion to Associate Professor and more importantly for change in status to Tenured. My role in the process is over, and now the wait for the rest of the process to unfold begins. It is exciting and humbling.