In life, whether you are in a classroom negotiating about group activities and tasks or talking with your superiors to ask for permission, strong negotiation skill is a must as they are transferable from the classroom to the different stages in your career and personal life.
Here are a few tips to help you become a strong and powerful negotiator:

1. Be prepared
To ensure you will come out of the negotiation with a gain, make sure you prepare yourself beforehand; do your research, understand the situation, have a clear sense of what you wish to gain and what you are prepared to lose, think of possible responses, and build your argument accordingly.

2. Consider alternatives
In every negotiation, make sure you have a plan B just in case. If your main argument failed and you find yourself unable to find a loophole or a way around it arm yourself with a second option. This would put your opposing party at a loss and you will come out with a gain.

3. Take your time
Do not worry about wasting anyone’s time; you are asking for something that you need and something that would help you perform better in university. So, take your time in talking and clearly state what you want and what you know you deserve. Never sell yourself short!

4. Listen Carefully
Do not get angry during the situation if you feel like it is not going your way; listen to what your opposition is saying, think about what they mean and their perspective, and build a strong defense in support of your opinions.

5. Make it a win-win situation
Do not only think about what you want from the other party but what you can offer them as well. Negotiating efficiently empowers you to fight for what you want, and even when the negotiation isn’t successful, you’ve still made your voice heard. Knowing what you want and delivering it in the correct way is key for a win-win situation.