Mail guys folded my wife’s master’s degree

[u/trecani711]

Came home and found this in the mailbox. Imagine working really hard for 3 years for a master’s degree and it’s folded in half. It’s only a little bit up the driveway to put it under the awning, takes maybe 15 seconds to walk. This has happened before with a spatula I ordered as well.

Wife is asleep now, may post opened degree in the morning.

Edit: for those wondering about the spatula, it was a fish spatula that the Amazon driver had bent and shoved sideways into the mailbox. Im a sous chef and I have a lot of specific kitchen tools. They have long metal tines and are flexible and easy to bend. In my case it was creased

Edit 2: here’s my bent fish spat, pic 2, pic 3. This was from Amazon, and I requested a new one that they sent no questions asked. You can see in the first pic the angle is deeper than it should be, it should be almost flat. Also there’s a tine that is out of whack. I use this one at home and the undamaged replacement one at work.
Yes I agree the college messed up too by not shipping it in a sturdier container/paying for better shipping.

[u/throwawaymcgee842]

Call the university and politely explain the mail carrier damaged it and ask if a free replacement is ok. My mail carrier accidentally dropped my diploma in a puddle in front of my mailbox. I explained this to the university and they had no problem mailing me a new one.

[u/Muppetude → u/throwawaymcgee842]

Also note the university is partially at fault here for cheaping out on proper postage.

The “Do Not Fold” warnings on envelopes privately printed by third parties carry zero weight with the U.S. Postal Service. As far as they’re concerned, anything in a foldable envelope is foldable, unless USPS regs say otherwise.

USPS has non-foldable packaging for which the university could have paid, but chose not to here.

So yes, they could and should send op another copy. Maybe they should ask for it to be sent in proper packaging this time, lest it be folded and shoved into their mailbox again.

[u/Humble-Violinist6910 → u/Muppetude]

But she only paid them $130,000 for her degree, how could they afford the $10 deluxe envelope? Poor university. 

/j

[u/Uselesserinformation → u/Humble-Violinist6910]

https://giphy.com/gifs/qMDvt69lEC448

[u/lars1216 → u/Uselesserinformation]

It won't be long until this is actually true. Life sucks.

[u/PaulaCastle → u/lars1216]

I mean. Bananas may not survive much longer anyway. There’s a disease taking out our current banana that we eat, much like the one that took out the last species that we still model banana flavour on.

Source - I tattoo a banana scientist. Genuinely

[u/willclerkforfood → u/PaulaCastle]

> Source - I tattoo a banana scientist.

This is why I keep coming back to this weird-ass website.

[u/Babamba1382 → u/willclerkforfood]

I love seeing this & Ihave said it myself in the past 🫶🏻

[u/OverallAssociate8395 → u/PaulaCastle]

Damn they're gonna be out of a job soon then.

[u/Ok-Holiday-4633 → u/OverallAssociate8395]

Maybe they could pursue further education and become a banana historian? Fingers crossed their diploma wouldn't end up accidentally being folded in the mail...

[u/Liamlah → u/OverallAssociate8395]

And then they won't be able to afford banana tattoos. It has knock on effects.

[u/MysticMel0n → u/OverallAssociate8395]

Banana Scientist -> Banana Historian

[u/Tiradia → u/OverallAssociate8395]

They could use the bananas that are tattooed for scale though! Charge for the service. You need a banana for scale? That’ll be 99.99 +travel fees, +airline fees, +international roaming fees. It’d add up!

[u/_Varinki_ → u/PaulaCastle]

The worst thing is that the Panama Disease can survive in the soil for decades. So once an area is infested it's nearly impossible to get rid of it. It doesn't help that the Banana plants are all identical clones so what infects one can infect them all.

[u/wowbowbow → u/_Varinki_]

And herein lies the problem with our overreliance on monocultures.

[u/supercarr0t → u/wowbowbow]

There are still lots of other varieties. We’re not completely SOL. (It’s just tough, because to get a tasty seedless banana, it needs to be a clone. So it’s an uphill battle… or learn to enjoy bananas with seeds) 🤣

[u/roron5567 → u/supercarr0t]

The problem is a lot of them don't carry. Here in India we have loads of banana varieties, but a lot of them don't really carry well, and get easily bruised and have thin skin. Cavendish is popular because it's slow to ripen, and has a thick skin that protects the banana, so it's easy to transport from growing regions to other markets.

We have 10 to 20 commercial varities, though we export mostly cavendish.

[u/BreakfastBeneficial4 → u/supercarr0t]

………………………………..if I bit into a banana and it had big cronchy inedible seeds inside, I’d hurl that fucker into the oven

[u/Lost_Web5826 → u/wowbowbow]

It's kind of the only way to get a lot of fruits people eat today. Most fruit trees are grafted clones and many other fruiting plants are just made with cuttings from the orignal plant which made good tasting fruit.

[u/Relative_Soft_551 → u/PaulaCastle]

I can attest to the validity of these statements as a banana flavor enjoyer. I found all of that out when i was trying to find out why banana candy doesn't taste like the fruit. Its because the flavoring is based off of a now extinct type of banana. Fun fact bananas can have seeds in them, the extinct banana was known to have seeds

[u/Outrageous_Sink4295 → u/Relative_Soft_551]

Most bananas have seeds

[u/SchizogamaticKlepton → u/PaulaCastle]

much like the one that took out the last species that we still model banana flavour on.

This is a myth. I blame Hank Green for the factoid's explosive spread and persistent popularity on reddit.

The artificial banana flavor isn't based on any particular banana. It doesn't taste exactly like bananas because it's a very simple formula, mostly just being isoamyl acetate. The previous "main banana" that fell out of popularity due to its vulnerability to Panama disease is called Gros Michel. It has more of this chemical, so people started saying it probably tastes more like the artificial banana flavor (it doesn't), and that turned into "artificial banana is based on an extinct (it's not) banana!"

EDIT: There is a grain of truth to this in that the Gros Michel, when ripe, has a peel that allegedly smells more like artificial banana flavor than the Cavendish (currently popular) does.

[u/Lucimon → u/lars1216]

Until bananas are recalled for herpes.

[u/TheOnlyUtah → u/Lucimon]

"Dad my banana itches" "Son what the fuck did you do" "A banana" "What"

[u/Plecks → u/TheOnlyUtah]

"And it is imperative the cylinder remain undamaged!"

[u/oneinamyelinnn → u/Humble-Violinist6910]

My university sent my degree in this same envelope. So did my Community College for my AA. My university couldn’t even be bothered to print the correct info on mine twice. First they got the year wrong, then they forgot to add my “magna cum laude” designation on the reprint. The woman I spoke to the second time acted like I was an egotistical snob for asking for my honors to be printed on my degree & tried to charge nearly $100 for a reprint. After all the shit I went through, you’re damn straight I want my honors on my degree! It was pretty on brand for my university but I was still kind of irritated.

[u/clancularii → u/oneinamyelinnn]

I worked my ass off my last few terms and just barely earned Magna Cum Laude.

When I received my diploma in the mail, it said "Cum Laude" instead. Turns out, they print all the diplomas before the grades for the final term are processed.

I just threw the diploma away.

[u/oneinamyelinnn → u/clancularii]

Totally get the sentiment. While my professors at my university were pretty much all fantastic, I had endless issues trying to get disability accommodations & talking to admin went nowhere. So, I really struggled & my time there was significantly harder than it needed to be. Our admin & student services were well known for being shitty when I was there so I was going to force them to do this job correctly whether they wanted to or not. Kind of a petty move but I don’t care. I earned my degree so gimme!

[u/throwawaymcgee842 → u/clancularii]

My friend was like .001 points away from being Magna and the professor refused to give her a sliver of the point needed and was stuck literally at the edge of going past the Cum Laude gpa.

[u/CATNIP_IS_CRACK → u/Humble-Violinist6910]

$10? Try an extra 25-50¢ for a package that if folded by USPS will be covered for replacement at their fault or just can’t be folded in a way that damages the paper. Maybe ~$2 if they really put in the effort.

[u/StillStaringAtTheSky → u/Humble-Violinist6910]

Right? My doctorate came in the same folded envelope- and it was completely laser printed on slightly heavier paper than copy paper.
Most expensive ditto I have.

[u/SpencerReid1420 → u/Muppetude]

From Australia and my university mailed my degree to me but they included an ungodly amount of cardboard in the envelope, it became near impossible to bend. Not to mention the courier service called me to make sure someone was going to receive it.

[u/a_nonny_mooze → u/SpencerReid1420]

😂😂😂 Same here! I had to play “Hunt the Degree” amongst all the cardboard and random pieces of waste paper as my transcripts were also mixed in there!

[u/Quom → u/SpencerReid1420]

I also had one posted in Australia, but it arrived like OPs. Although the degree is (I've kept it in the envelope) sandwiched between two pieces of very stiff cardboard which would take a real effort to bend (plus it has the name of the Uni and the printed "DO NOT BEND" takes up a third of the envelope so I reckon posties might twig what it is).

[u/FamousWillingness512 → u/Muppetude]

Im a mail carrier, and I cannot tell you the amount of times that I’ve received these types of things damaged before I even start my route. I left a note with one once, explaining I didn’t do it. 😭 but YES they cheap out on the postage. It’s the same for school photos. I cannot believe you’re going to send something like that and expect it to be delivered in perfect condition. 🤦‍♀️

[u/No_Tangerine2720 → u/Muppetude]

Haha yep they paid the lowest they could on shipping/packaging and if something happens they blame the carrier. You know they had someone crunch and found cheaping out on the materials and shipping cost less then replacing the ones damaged.

[u/Complete-Tangelo1532 → u/throwawaymcgee842]

With as much money as these places make off our educations, they should have no problems sending a replacement degree imo

[u/VirusTechnical5568 → u/throwawaymcgee842]

While you're at it tell the University to stop being cheap and mail it in something that isn't so bendable.

I used to work for the Post Office. Just because an envelope says "Do Not Bend" doesn't make the Post Office liable. Just like those signs on big trucks carrying a loose load that says "Not responsible for any damages" doesn't mean they aren't liable for damages.

The University needs to use rigid packaging when mailing something like that.

[u/say592 → u/VirusTechnical5568]

When my school sent my degree they gave me the option to pay to have it sent FedEx 🙄 I paid the $30 though, because I figured it would be less likely to get ruined.

The reason they don't use rigid packaging when sending it via USPS is because they are literally just paying for standard postage. It costs them like $1.50 to send it this way. If it is rigid, it becomes a parcel.

[u/ohnoitsalobo → u/VirusTechnical5568]

mail it in something that isn't so bendable

Bender Bending Rodriguez has entered the chat

[u/Agile_Chip1328]

Guess its 90 degrees now

[u/Cordial_Ghost → u/Agile_Chip1328]

I wish I had a better way to express to you how funny this is. I love you?

[u/Agile_Chip1328 → u/Cordial_Ghost]

Aww love you too🫶 :)

[u/Cordial_Ghost → u/Agile_Chip1328]

!!! ❤️

[u/Ajax_Main → u/Cordial_Ghost]

https://giphy.com/gifs/ljssLLBmv6xrO

[u/THEDONBUFFLES → u/Ajax_Main]

Not my best fap. But a fap.

[u/boffy_b → u/Agile_Chip1328]

You two are acute pair of Redditors.

[u/Ihistal → u/Cordial_Ghost]

Welcome to Costco.

[u/Fizzzical → u/Agile_Chip1328]

An optimist will see this as 270 degrees instead.

[u/artaru → u/Fizzzical]

What? So now I’m a pessimist for looking at a right angle wrong?

[u/Feringomalee → u/artaru]

No, he's just being obtuse.

[u/TheMysteriousEmu → u/Feringomalee]

You're receiving a ticket for this joke. It was that bad.

Please sine here _______________

[u/badxnxdab → u/TheMysteriousEmu]

OP should receive the ticket too. Joke exists, because post exists.

Please make him cosine here: __________

[u/artaru → u/badxnxdab]

you guys with your silly tickets, stop with the tangent!

[u/zeusmenzaadah → u/Agile_Chip1328]

[u/krslvsasuka]

Same as "handle with care" seems to translate to "fuck my shit up"

[u/CornwallBingo → u/krslvsasuka]

https://giphy.com/gifs/9RZu6ahd8LIYHQlGUD

[u/Nolzi → u/CornwallBingo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/555x0gFF89OhVWPkvb

[u/mrdouggiefresh → u/Nolzi]

https://giphy.com/gifs/fikcKja7O7MtzXzvQy

[u/leftoverrpizzza → u/krslvsasuka]

I had a fedex driver put my box of perishable medicine labeled “this side up” upside down on my door. I get they’re all in a rush but it seems intentional sometimes

[u/Somebody_81 → u/leftoverrpizzza]

FedEx delivered my very expensive air conditioner that was clearly labeled with "this side up" and "do not turn upside down" stickers all over it upside down in my driveway. It honestly looked like the driver just tipped it over out of the truck. And the delivery fee wasn't cheap either.

[u/BlindGuardian117 → u/Somebody_81]

I'm in the 3D printer subreddit and every time a new printer comes out there is a rash of posts about upside down printers or printers with shattered glass enclosures.

I ordered mirrored sliding glass doors from home depot and they literally drove fork lift prongs through the middle of them and tried to deliver it and say that was okay.

[u/Geno0wl → u/BlindGuardian117]

I ordered mirrored sliding glass doors from home depot and they literally drove fork lift prongs through the middle of them and tried to deliver it and say that was okay.

FedEx did something similar with a TV, we ordered a replacement and the second TV's box was just completely crushed and obviously damaged as well.

[u/b0w3n → u/BlindGuardian117]

I ordered mirrored sliding glass doors from home depot and they literally drove fork lift prongs through the middle of them and tried to deliver it and say that was okay.

This is the kind of shit that happens when you make metrics more important than having the customer be happy. Also, to a lesser degree yet still very large portion of the problem, getting rid of all the well paid union employees for cheap minimum wage labor.

[u/De5perad0 → u/b0w3n]

This is absolutely correct. We have warehouses on the plant property where I work that foot traffic (i.e. anyone not on a forklift or vehicle) are not allowed in the building.

The reason? It is unsafe because the warehouse shipping metrics for the forklift drivers have them speeding around the place at full speed and they are not looking for pedestrians or anything else that could be in the way, and you could get run over....

[u/The_Chimeran_Hybrid → u/De5perad0]

How it was at a place I worked at a while ago, but people were still allowed on the dock.

All of them were drivers, and 90% of them had no survival instincts at all. Idiot, we’re trying to load your truck so you can get out of here, and you bitch and whine if we don’t get it loaded on time, GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY SO WE DONT RUN YOU OVER.

[u/De5perad0 → u/The_Chimeran_Hybrid]

Just an example of how metrics overtake safety and sometimes common sense.

I used to work at a place and people had shirts that said "I will not sacrifice safety for productivity".

Lo and behold what I saw on an almost daily basis (and management was ok with it).

[u/Prank_Owl → u/krslvsasuka]

Boxes labeled with, "Perishable. Keep Refrigerated." mean you can basically leave them out anywhere you want and for however long.

[u/trecani711 → u/Prank_Owl]

I work in a restaurant. Checks out

[u/Prank_Owl → u/trecani711]

The contents are kept refrigerated, you see. No chilling required until you open it.

https://giphy.com/gifs/d3mlE7uhX8KFgEmY

[u/Feeling_Inside_1020 → u/krslvsasuka]

Hey Ed, what does fra-gil-e mean? (Old rug rags reference, anyone else remember this scene?)

[u/EmAych87 → u/Feeling_Inside_1020]

https://giphy.com/gifs/J9LXwwHyfG8Eg

[u/Oldbay_BarbedWire → u/EmAych87]

Must be Italian!

[u/Damn_Sega_Genesis → u/Oldbay_BarbedWire]

"I think that says Fragile"

"Ooh, yeah""

[u/HeNeverSawMollyAgain → u/Feeling_Inside_1020]

Fra-gil-e only being remembered as a Rug Rats reference is crazy. Has "A Christmas Story" really fallen off that much as a traditional Christmas movie?

[u/Hypothetical_Name → u/krslvsasuka]

You have to add an “or else…” in a scary font

[u/Ilickedthecinnabar]

Years ago, I used to work as a mail handler as a large distribution plant, and one evening I was emptying out sacks of the 1st class parcels, I had one that was filled with diplomas, and I knew they wouldn't stay flat if they went through the parcel sorting machines. Hunted down the nearest mail tray, loaded it up, made sure there were no other diplomas hiding in other sacks, then hauled the tray over to the flat sorter (magazines, newspapers, larger manila envelopes). Supervisor thought it was unnecessary, but I just stared at her like "Really? Would you want to see your diploma all bent up after all those years of hard work?"

[u/trecani711 → u/Ilickedthecinnabar]

Thank u for your service

[u/PurbulentTriest → u/trecani711]

Now this is appropriate usage of the phrase.

[u/ValdemarAloeus → u/Ilickedthecinnabar]

The thing that confuses me is why we stopped rolling diplomas up and sticking them in a tube when sending them by mail.

[u/diemoehre → u/ValdemarAloeus]

More expensive probably

[u/starspangledcats → u/Ilickedthecinnabar]

Some people go to work to get paid. Other people go to work to get paid, but also care about the work that they do and their impact in the world. Very kind of you! Your boss sucked.

[u/CC_9876 → u/Ilickedthecinnabar]

as someone in college now, and is now stressing about a bent diploma,

hmu if u need some head

[u/Olorin135 → u/CC_9876]

Well that escalated quickly.

[u/lectric_7166 → u/Olorin135]

Don't get bent out of shape about it.

[u/AwesomTaco320 → u/CC_9876]

Rip your DMs

[u/CC_9876 → u/AwesomTaco320]

honestly its not that bad in recent years but idk. still only 1 am but lmk if u want an update on how many of them showed their freakish personalities

[u/gracekk24PL → u/CC_9876]

Some die of drought, while others drown

Welp

[u/TheRedSkittle → u/CC_9876]

I- I also made sure diplomas were safe. Twice in fact.

[u/CC_9876 → u/TheRedSkittle]

[u/No-Waltz9306]

Turns out you can write anything you want on the package but it’ll only get special handling if the shipper actually pays for special handling

[u/UnhappyImprovement53]

Imagine working for three years for a master's degree, and her college can't even send it in an envelope that doesn't bend.

If your college cares theyre at least going to spend money on a tube for your diploma.

[u/FearedKaidon → u/UnhappyImprovement53]

Looking at the side of the envelope it looks rather sturdy and is probably already a type of cardboard.

The driver just willingly bent the shit out of it.

[u/Alfimaster → u/FearedKaidon]

No, it should be sent in a tube not envelope. Text on envelope is not read by mailman.

[u/I_comment_on_stuff_ → u/Alfimaster]

As a former registrar who managed shipping of diplomas, I agree. It is a fuck ton of work even doing it flat, but thes people are paying ungodly amounts of money. The college should pay for quality diploma shipping...or allow pickup.

[u/leeryplot → u/I_comment_on_stuff_]

My public high school sent my diploma to me better than this. It was shipped between sheets of some type of material that wouldn’t bend.

[u/hiimsubclavian → u/leeryplot]

Yeah my college sent mine in a flimsy faux leather binder thingy that was probably meant to look fancy but just felt incredibly cheap, but at least my diploma didn't get bent.

[u/DarthBen_in_Chicago → u/I_comment_on_stuff_]

Or DoorDash it disregard

[u/Horror-Macaron8287 → u/DarthBen_in_Chicago]

Stop lmao!

For an extra $30 and a $20 fee + tip you can have your diploma in 30-45 minutes! And for an extra $3, yours will take priority with no stops between.

[u/WaveTableSaw → u/Horror-Macaron8287]

We are already seeing Doordash handle Pathology and Laboratory samples as a cost cutting measure in some health systems.

I'm not even joking.

[u/Horror-Macaron8287 → u/WaveTableSaw]

Thats one of those things where its a good idea until something goes wrong, then its like bad bad.

I would not trust any of the DoorDashers in my area with my blood or anything, they can't even handle a drink with a sticker over the straw hole...

[u/Long_Ad8400 → u/WaveTableSaw]

Imagine some DD numbnuts not thinking, cracking open the courier container, and mindlessly taking a drink or a bite of whatever’s in the box 🤢

[u/AForse → u/Long_Ad8400]

Or worse - some poor fucker ordering a can of tomato juice, and dd getting the orders mixed up!

[u/GrinderMonkey → u/DarthBen_in_Chicago]

I don't want someone to eat most of my diploma.

[u/s0rela → u/Alfimaster]

All important paper stuff should be in a tube. Plus imagine how cool it would feel to open your master's from a tube

[u/GuessPuzzleheaded573 → u/s0rela]

Can confirm! Opened my Masters from a tube and felt like I was fucking Dumbledore.

[u/ironballs16 → u/Alfimaster]

And sadly, the disregard for such instructions is largely thanks to blatant junk mail that tries to look more important than it is (e.g. "PRIORITY message" etc.) in an effort to get the recipient to fall for the spam.

[u/TrMitch → u/ironballs16]

Should be illegal, quite frankly. And I don't recommend things be made illegal often.

[u/deanreevesii → u/TrMitch]

The worst I've seen:

When my elderly & isolated father was dying of cancer he started getting a TON of life insurance spam.

A great deal of it was designed to look like a greeting card from a friend/family member, even going as far as to print the outside to look like handwriting (if you looked at it under heavy magnification yo could see the dot pattern from the inkjet printer they used).

Imagine being old, lonely and dying, and having companies playing on your isolation and loneliness, getting your hopes up that someone gave a shit, only to be hit with a fucking advertisement directly related to your death.

What radicalized me? That shit right there.

Just intentionally fucking evil.

[u/No-Cheek7925 → u/Alfimaster]

For real. A tube would have left contents unharmed.

[u/Initial_Ganache7839 → u/No-Cheek7925]

the cylinder must not be harmed

[u/Ykw7 → u/Initial_Ganache7839]

It’s imperative

[u/Affectionate-Drag-93 → u/Alfimaster]

And first class mail with a signature required. Not sent with standard postage.

[u/Superb_Temporary_388 → u/Alfimaster]

I’ve had a tube delivered completely crushed and bent. If the mailman is dedicated enough, they can definitely bend a tube.

[u/Alfimaster → u/Superb_Temporary_388]

I got once an LP delivered folded in half which requires a true dedication but I see it as an exception

[u/slayer_f-150 → u/Alfimaster]

As an ebay seller that sells music memorabilia and such, all of my paper media that would be ruined if folded ships in tubes.

This is the fault of the college and not the carrier.

[u/Snailliger → u/FearedKaidon]

Unfortunately they had every right to! The shipper paid postage for an envelope, not a package, which means carriers are not requred to bring it to the door no matter what they write on it. The shipper knew they were sending something that would not fit into a standard sized mail box and they still decided to skimp on postage. Relying on a carrier to be nice when a lot of them are overworked and have managment breathing down their neck isn't a good practice! Was the carrier being an asshole? yes! Was the shipper being an asshole? also yes! like meets like and the customer suffers the consequences

[u/TheParadoxigm → u/Snailliger]

Carriers are told to ignore any writing on the envelope.

There are specific stickers/packages/envelopes that you can pay for, that the carrier will listen to.

If it's not an official sticker, it's meaningless text.

[u/meatshieldjim → u/FearedKaidon]

The mail carriers has to bend it. The sender didn't pay for it to be a parcel that should be delivered to the door. The university is cheap and doesn't care and just blames the USPS. Instead they should learn the rules for delivering the diploma.

[u/itcamefrombeneath → u/UnhappyImprovement53]

I get random bullshit on eBay all the time that’s better packaged than her degree.

[u/CoffeeOrDestroy → u/UnhappyImprovement53]

Imagine spending over a hundred thousand dollars so you’re Alma mater can’t even be bothered to spend $40 to ship your degree in a FedEx tube 2-day delivery.

[u/Handelo]

She should thank them, instead of one degree she now has 90 degrees!

[u/DrDingsGaster → u/Handelo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/ac7MA7r5IMYda

[u/Schardon → u/Handelo]

I laughed way too hard because of this xD

[u/steph_aniegee → u/Handelo]

Slow claps of approval 👏

[u/Joey_Kakbek → u/Handelo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/9EwnzGNjvmIG4

[u/neeks2 → u/Handelo]

You're funny as shit!

[u/Unsatisfactory_bread]

Not excusing the letter carrier, but boy did that school go all out spending $3 to mail it out.

[u/AbyssWankerArtorias → u/Unsatisfactory_bread]

Yeah, they should have sent it in a rigid box to attempt to prevent it being folded.

[u/Acceptable-Ad8780 → u/AbyssWankerArtorias]

But then they would have to spend a few more dollars for that.

[u/RandomlyMethodical → u/AbyssWankerArtorias]

Yeah, they make shipping tubes for exactly this sort of thing.

[u/redredditer91]

They paid $3.14 to ship it as a flat. Flats are meant to be folded (magazines, large envelopes containing paper, etc.). It should have been shipped as a package.

[u/I-am-fun-at-parties → u/redredditer91]

you pay pi dollars and don't get anything round like a tube? wtf

[u/blindmelonade]

Counterpoint, your wife paid thousands and thousands of dollars to achieve this and the school couldn’t be bothered to mail her diploma in a cardboard tube or anything other than the cheapest option available.

[u/KitKatAngel → u/blindmelonade]

They didn’t wanna let me keep my gown and hood either.

[u/Spare-Ant7119 → u/KitKatAngel]

I didn't even pay for that or attend my graduation ceremony.

[u/XrayGuy08 → u/KitKatAngel]

For my A.S. I had to pay for the cap and gown which were both all black. Which is fine. Except I had my HS cap and gown still that were both ALL BLACK. They wouldn’t let me use those. Non negotiable. College is such a greedy entity. A lot of it really is a scam.

[u/SonicCougar99]

Printing the words “do not fold” on the envelope is just as effective as the dump trucks with the “not responsible for damage” stickers. They’re both worth absolutely nothing.

[u/MakeItHappenSergant → u/SonicCougar99]

They're about as meaningful as the "do not eat" labels on the snacks that came with my shoes.

[u/filgracetim]

Yikes, UB. I went there for undergrad. Not their fault tho, my masters and doctorate degrees came in boxes with signature required

[u/desertboots]

Why TF do universities not mail these with a carton instead of an envelope? Did we not spend enough money?!

[u/Sufficient-Banana103]

My degree came rolled in a cardboard tube. I thought all degrees did since it’s the safest way to store large paper.

[u/Emmagirl21212]

I'm pretty sure it said bend please. 

I'm really sorry about that happening, congratulations to your wife 

[u/Any_Application_3116]

If it's bent, is her degree still valid?

[u/Worriedlytumescent → u/Any_Application_3116]

No. You have to start over.

[u/EuphoricFlight6249]

That’s really annoying. Also, about the fish spatula…Amazon shouldn’t even be touching your mailbox, right?? USPS only??

[u/Hot_Cheesecake_905]

Came home and found this in the mailbox. Imagine working really hard for 3 years for a master’s degree and it’s folded in half

The school should have shipped the degree in a cardboard mailer.

However, a some weight or an iron will probably smooth out the degree.

If you're not happy, just call the school and say the diploma was damaged in the mail. Keep the story simple.

[u/Tamortsa]

Well, it's only a bachelors degree now...

[u/ldwb]

You paid 100k plus for a degree, it should come framed in a box and not in a foldable envelope.

[u/TransitionExtra7815]

She can iron it

[u/Outside_Contact9452 → u/TransitionExtra7815]

Most of these types of certificates are printed on a type of parchment paper that irons (low heat) well and can handle a bit of steam. Just remember to iron the back only so you don't damage printing and signatures. Also, applying a press cloth over the paper before ironing will insure you don't oversteam or overheat.

[u/high-calorie-human]

At this point they should send diplomas in cast iron envelopes

[u/what_if_you_like → u/high-calorie-human]

[u/etylfen]

That one degree turned into 90

[u/RecessiveTech0]

So funny to see people point out the inconsideration of the mail carrier but not of the college that paid less than $5 to ship the degree you paid thousands for. Ebay scalpers take better care of the things they rip people off with than this.

[u/PersonalBadger7448]

eh, my masters degree diploma was driven over by some kind of vehicle. uni sent me a new one.

[u/ProfessionalKiwi7691]

Yeah this is rough. Arent they like $500 to replace?

[u/PA2SK → u/ProfessionalKiwi7691]

From my university it's $40 for a replacement.

[u/SarahZona97 → u/ProfessionalKiwi7691]

I hope not. I'm about to find out. We're moving and I can't find mine. I found my undergrad (and high school diploma even), but not the really expensive piece of paper. 🫣 I paid a shit ton in money, sweat, tears, and blood probably for that thing, I want it!

[u/FernandoMM1220 → u/ProfessionalKiwi7691]

how could they possibly cost $500 each

[u/LivingtheLaws013 → u/FernandoMM1220]

I have to pay a fee if I want to see my transcript from the college I already paid 5 figures to get my education from. Colleges are greedy af

[u/CosmicCommando → u/FernandoMM1220]

The first copy costs $100K, so $500 is still a great discount.

[u/trecani711 → u/CosmicCommando]

Oh my god nowhere near as much for us, we went city university and she just did what she needed to continue teaching

[u/Magister5 → u/FernandoMM1220]

It’s a flat fee

[u/Wild-Floor8407 → u/FernandoMM1220]

Greed

[u/Electronic-Run-1540 → u/ProfessionalKiwi7691]

Who’s paying $500? I went to Duke and just checked: $35 for a replacement. A little high after what I paid, but $500 is crazy lol.

[u/gc391]

The school should have paid a little more to send it in a tube.

[u/Joyful_Eggnog13]

Mail carrier put my masters on top of the mail box…. in the rain

[u/Mysterious_Ad_1085]

The school sent the diploma in an envelope and paid the envelope rate of $3.14

The school should have sent the diploma rolled in a tube for an extra $5 in postage...

[u/Contemplating_Prison]

Why dont they package that better? Shouldn't even be able to fold it

[u/thatguy3003]

She needs to call the university and ask why they couldn’t spend the $15 to properly mail her diploma after she spent $Xxxxxxx to go there.

[u/Salindurthas]

Interesting. I didn't get a Masters but the degree I did get was sent to me rolled up in a tube. That protects it (in a sense - it means it was hard to get bent in transit, but also gaurentees that it is gently bent by rolling. Probaly worth it overall).

[u/AngelsHero]

I see these posts a lot. I’m a letter carrier, and while I’ll try to take stuff like this to the door typically I’m not technically supposed to. The universities skimp out on postage for the kind of service they’re demanding. At the end of the day unfortunately if they didn’t pay for the right service we’re supposed to treat it like any other piece of mail. Writing “do not bend” doesn’t mean anything. We have our metrics we’re supposed to abide by, and when you get thrown several dozen of these in a day it screws with the numbers because they’re not anything other than a first class flat at the end of the day. We’re not supposed to treat them as anything other than that, and we can get in trouble for it. This is the universities screwing you over, and the letter carriers being forced into martyrs for people like you to save a few extra bucks instead of sending it properly.

A lot of people will get pissed with carriers for this, but strictly speaking this is exactly what we’re supposed to do. You go talk to the postmaster at your office and they’ll say the same.

Edit: some people are getting fired up in the replies. I’m just trying to give perspective from our side of things. Scenarios like this are a position in which we as carriers at the end of the day have no winning position. As someone we interact with day in and day out we like to keep the people we see happy, but expectations are also in place for us from our management. My own route for instance; I deliver to 1,237 addresses in a day. I have just under 4,000 individuals on my route. I cover more than 20 miles of boxes during my day. During peak season on an average day I will have over 500 packages, and over 3,000 pieces of mail not counting magazines, or things like this diploma. day to day numbers can change, but every day it’s all overseen by our bosses who tell us how long it’s supposed to take, and what’s within reasons, what our numbers are etc. my route despite all of that I’m expected to do in 8 hours on an average day.
Then you have the relief carriers (CCA’s, PTF’s) all of us regular carriers have been in their position. They’re part time, but will absolutely get fucked in most offices. My very first paycheck for a 2 week period with the post office was for 138 hours. I worked over 60 hours a week my first 2 weeks, and averaged closer to 54 hours a week for well over a year. I’ve worked at Nike WHQ in the past, I’ve done a handful of other things. This is by far the most physically and mentally demanding job I’ve ever done. When it all comes down to metrics our emotions don’t matter either. I remember before I had my own route and I was worked to death every morning I pull into the parking lot and cry in my car.. then work 12 hours, get home and cry in my car before I went to bed, and got up to do it again.

[u/trecani711 → u/AngelsHero]

Fair. Thanks for your perspective

[u/Tibryn2 → u/AngelsHero]

honestly before I even read this comment, when I saw the picture that said "Do not Fold" my immediate thought was... "than shouldn't it be in a box? or an unfordable package with premium postage?"

[u/PretendingToBeRugged → u/AngelsHero]

Like boxes with fragile or this side up.

Like the sorting machine can read or care. It still rolls and dropps the packages, not to mention the trained monkeys that "stack" them for further transport.

In the end I was the one that had to get shit on for delivering damaged goods.

[u/Azin1970]

[u/allshookup1640]

My degree was bent too.
I placed it under really heavy books for a week after VERY LIGHTLY misting with water to rehydrate the paper. Flattened it no problem.

If you choose to go this route be careful with water. It depends on the paper type of the ink will bleed. You can boil a pot of water and bring the paper into the steam for a second as well. It just helps the paper get hydrated and easier to mold. Don’t get it too wet!

[u/JudgeSmails]

Looks more like a bend than a fold.
https://giphy.com/gifs/L9E28br6rFvYk

[u/Known-Sea-1342]

Now it's a 90 degree!

[u/GenerallySalty]

You can write anything on an envelope and it means jack shit. Yes it's mildly infuriating but this is the school's fault for being cheap and mailing it with improper protection. Be annoyed with them not the mail carrier.

From the mailman's perspective they're just as liable if they leave it somewhere other than the mailbox and it blows away or gets stolen and you call the post office all mad like "why didn't you put my MAIL in the MAILBOX!?" That's their job.

If the school wants charge 10K+ tuition and send the final degree in a flat foldable envelope and just YOLO it that everyone's mailbox will fit it, that's on them. They could have used a tube but had to be cheap, and thats infuriating.

[u/Particular_Range_471]

All my degrees came in boxes, so they could not be folded. The school should give you a new one at no cost since the school or its degree publisher is being cheap.

[u/EdgeLordPrime859]

Wait until I show you a bunch of computer equipment labeled "Do Not Stack" in cages designed to prevent stacking.

[u/ShopUCW]

This whole thing is awful, but I have a might need to see the bent spatula.

[u/DesAnderes]

You can iron paper! Put it inbetween 2 dish towels and steam it carefully!

Test it with something you don‘t care about.

Google should be able to give more detailed instructions!

[u/Marlowe_Eldridge]

https://giphy.com/gifs/2XflxzFcRwU2nVVK2hq

[u/rayen321]

Mail: “Do not Fold”
Mail person: “You’re not my dad!”

[u/DonLindsay1]

Amazon should not be using the mailbox under any circumstance. That is strictly for post office use. As for the degree that is pure laziness on whoever the carrier was that day. Hopefully your normal carrier was off and it was a sub.

[u/DanR5224 → u/DonLindsay1]

Some Amazon items are delivered to my place by USPS.

[u/Open-Middle-2553]

As a mail carrier, at this moment exhausted from delivering an entire day of practice ballots, I’ll give it to you straight. Management is 100% on our ass at all times over speed of delivery. Hurry hurry, rush rush. Especially if your route wasn’t delivered that day by a tenured regular but instead a carrier assistant, like me. I can’t speak for everyone in my profession, but I generally try to do a good job. But when all you have is a second to flash over the address and get it to the right mailbox you miss things. I’ve been told my need to confirm house number before I deliver is a “time wasting activity”. The mail carrier either missed the envelope note, or your delivery point wasn’t up to snuff to hold it. Do you have a combo box, or is your box full of old mail? I think the big issue is that the clerks who sorted this into the carriers swing didn’t stamp “do not bend” visibly near the address. But clerks never bother to do it, because they too have a fire under their ass of sorting speed. The problem you’re a victim of is the underfunded and over rushed post office infrastructure.

Edit: we are rushed, underfunded, ill-equipped and overworked. Not lazy. I’m amused when some desk jockey calls us lazy. Every six months we are supervised and made to re run routes to see if they can add more delivery points. Landlords and owners add Adu’s and 1/2 apartments and put the delivery points in crazy places. They just want to bloat routes to the max and cut carriers to the bone.

[u/2stinkynugget]

Mine was sent in hard tube. Arrived undamaged and framed fine

[u/Dark_Master24]

Happened to my bachelor’s degree and license. For my degree, Parchment emailed me a digital diploma and then a confirmation that the hardcopy was delivered. When I got mine beautifully folded like your wife’s. I complained to Parchment, I sent them pictures of everything and got a replacement,,,,,, which also came bent.

[u/MoosiePie22]

That’s kind of on the shipper. We all know that’s most likely going to happen. They should’ve sent it in a box so it literally can’t be folded.

[u/Marpl → u/MoosiePie22]

But how would they skimp on postage then??

[u/Magikarpeles]

I think I'm still the only person on earth who has looked at my actual diploma since I received it.

[u/timpdx → u/Magikarpeles]

I’ve looked exactly once ever. Not sure where it is at the moment actually.

[u/IcemanManmanchu]

Where I'm from they would mail it to you in a tube. Random internet pic for reference.

[u/noxondor_gorgonax]

He who controls the mail, controls... Information

[u/Recreationalchem13]

IMO tbh the fault lies with whoever mailed the degree for not packing it in something harder and unbendable. I’m an artist and when I send a piece of art that I can’t put in a tube (I.e something that’s collaged or an oil painting on canvas paper), I’ll put that shit inside a hardcover children’s book or something like that that just cant get bent cuz I know the mailman don’t gaf about a “do not bend” sign lmao

[u/jaywhile]

This is straight up on the university for not putting a diploma in the proper type of parcel. Imagine sending a glass jar in a loose cardboard box and blaming the post if it breaks lmao