Once the network isnt clogged up then you would really be getting some confirmation soon. 26 sats/byte isnt something low for a transaction to be rejected. Check out mempool.space when you do tend to make a transaction and set out specific amount of fee depending on how fast you would like it for it to be confirmed. For now the only thing you can do is to wait or would do make out that rbf and raise up that fee.
yeah, will have to wait. is it taking so long because so many people are getting into bitcoin like in 2017 or why is the network so maxxed out right now?
It all matters with the demand specially if bitcoins price do really show some action ex. moving on higher price in short time.
This will really make people to be active on making up transaction on pulling out their coins neither on their cold storages or exchange to exchange transactions
which is the reason to clogged up.
quick question: do transactions that have been waiting to be processed for a long time get some sort of preferential treatment?
No, they would always prioritize into those transactions that do set out bigger fees than to those lower ones.
When there's no other transactions left then thats the time they would be processing to those transactions left
with low fees.