**By Jasmine Camero** As a first-generation student, uncertainty has been a constant companion throughout graduate school. I learned early how to read failure as a sign that I didn’t belong, a habit that the academic job market has a way of reactivating. As I reach the end of my doctoral journey, I am finishing up my research, writing up my dissertation, and trying to land my dream job, all while life keeps happening and the world feels heavy. Navigating all of this at the same time is incredibly difficult. **The waiting** During the end of 2025, I spent countless hours curating application materials meant to perfectly encapsulate five to six years of work, which felt nearly impossible. I began submitting these applications with genuine optimism, trusting that hiring committees would be able to see both my preparation and how much I wanted to contribute to their departments. I put my best foot forward and that was all I could really do, the rest was in the hands of the committees.…