Man Finds Wife’s Master’s Degree Folded In Half And Reddit Has Questions

A Reddit user was frustrated when he got home to discover that his wife's master's degree had been folded in half inside the mailbox. Posting under u/trecani711 on the subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating, the man uploaded two pictures of the damaged mail and said that his wife had worked hard for three years to earn the degree. The post also said that the mailbox was only a short distance from an awning, so the document could have been left flat.

The post received 23,000 upvotes, and many of them were discussing whether the responsibility lay with the mail carrier or with the university.

The OP said, and the photos clearly show, that the envelope had the words "DO NOT FOLD" on it. Yet a number of commenters said that such wording might not ensure that the U.S. Postal Service would give it special treatment. When deciding how items are processed, the USPS takes into account both mail classes and their physical characteristics.

So just because the sender has written 'Do Not Bend' or 'Do Not Fold' on an envelope doesn't mean that the item will be given special treatment, even if that goes against some people's logic.

That difference is what many people were discussing in the comments section of this Reddit thread. Several commenters said that the university should have used rigid packaging or another mailing method to prevent the diploma from bending.

A commenter said they used to be a postal worker and carriers were usually required to deal with an item according to the service and postage chosen by the sender, rather than treating the printed instructions as a special handling request. On the other hand, a mail handler who had previously worked in the field said they personally took extra measures to ensure that diplomas remained flat throughout processing since there was a risk of damage.

The OP added that his wife's master's degree was not the first instance in which an item had arrived damaged. A fish spatula that he had ordered from Amazon had earlier been bent and pushed sideways into the mailbox. The user said he works as a sous chef, so the spatula was important to him, and he later got it replaced by Amazon.

The extent of the damage to the OP's wife's master's degree, however, led a number of Reddit users to recommend getting in touch with the university instead of blaming the carrier. Some commenters said that the schools might replace diplomas that had been damaged during delivery, even though the policies and fees differ from institution to institution.

The USPS recommends that customers who have problems with their mail get in touch with the Postal Service via its customer service options or by visiting their local post office. However, when it comes to valuable or important documents, senders can choose mailing services that have extra features based on their exact requirements.

The Reddit post also led to jokes, including that the folded diploma had, in effect, become a "90-degree" degree. Others suggested that important academic documents should be sent in solid cardboard boxes or tubes.