[ImsaKidd]

I've been noticing lately that a lot of my friends are really passive in most situations. This sort of thing really irritates me, as I have always been the sort of person to stand up to get what I want, not sit back and complain, without doing anything to change the situation.

Just wondering if anyone else has situations where being assertive has paid off? A few examples of mine:

1: Getting fair compensation when things go awry with a product/company. My family traveled to Salt Lake City to ski a few years back over Easter. Airports were crowded and we voluntarily took 3 bumps to later flights, netting about $2k in airline vouchers each. Additionally, we negotiated with the airline attendants to get a ton of food vouchers for the airport. Not really a huge deal, just mentioned that we were hungry, and they instantly gave us the vouchers.

2: Challenging professors on grades. I feel like professors will go easy on me just to get me out of their hair. On the first paper or larger assignment, I will have them review my work before turning it in. I think this gives them the impression I am an overachiever (even if I am not), and leads to way easier grading.

3: What actually sparked this post, although somewhat trivial. I went to dinner tonight with a few friends, and the service was pretty terrible. Our drinks sat empty for a while, with them complaining about the service. I suggested they get a refill at the bar, which they thought was a terrible idea because "a bartender doesn't give a [censored] about your free refill". I went up and got a fresh drink in about 30 seconds.

I love getting better service/free stuff just because I ask (politely), and i'm sure the rest of you have ideas I have never thought of, so any input is appreciated.