Latest news with #usps
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Mom asks Gen Z son for help—realizes what's 'not taught' in schools anymore
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When a mom left her son to write a series of letters for family, she wasn't expecting what happened next. The envelopes appeared on her desk, there was one problem—the names of the recipients were written across the whole envelope, and in many cases, family titles were included. Letters, shared in a video on Instagram posted by @nikigolesis, said: "Uncle Johnny", "Uncle Pete" and "Uncle Joe," with little space for an address below. "When it dawns on me that my 18yr old son has never mailed anything before," the on-screen text said. The hilarious video has been viewed more than 530,000 times, as the mom went into more details in the caption. "I literally laughed out loud when I saw these! We don't use their family titles honey," the mom, who goes by Niki Golesis on Instagram, wrote. "Next time, some space to write their address would be helpful," she wrote in the video caption, adding: "Guessing this isn't taught in school anymore either." Golesis added the hashtags "#digitalage #whycantijusttextthem #oldschool #mail hoping #usps doesn't send these back," to the video, which was shared last month. But the 18-year-old isn't alone in being unversed in the art of letter writing. In 2021, a CBS News and YouGov survey found that 37 percent of Americans hadn't written a personal letter in over five years. Even more telling, 15 percent had never written a letter at all. Half of respondents said they hadn't received a personal letter in the last five years, and 14 percent had never received one. This is also reflected in numbers from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). In 2004, they handled approximately 97.9 billion pieces of First-Class Mail. By 2023, this number had decreased to about 46 billion pieces, marking a decline of over 50 percent in two decades. A screenshot from the viral Instagram post where the mom shared her son's letters. A screenshot from the viral Instagram post where the mom shared her son's letters. @nikigolesis/Instagram The main reason for the decline is the increase in electronic communication, from email to social media. Today, even traditionally mailed items like bills are more likely to be delivered electronically as companies turn to paper-free models. This isn't the first time Gen Z's letter writing skills have gained viral attention. Last year a teacher shared how he asked his Gen Z class to write letters for the elderly, though he wasn't prepared for the results. Students came up with letters including: "Dear elderly individual, I'm sorry that you got so old. It really sounds like a terrible thing to experience." While another said: "If you want to include me in your will, here's my contact info." The teacher wasn't able to send the letters, but they did make for a hilarious viral video that left people in stitches. Though there is also evidence that hope is not lost for the written word as data in 2024 revealed that more of Gen Z are turning to letter writing. Data from revealed that nearly half of Gen Z-ers mailed something monthly. One Gen Z letter writer told Newsweek: "It's a way to connect on a more intimate level. It's also something that can't be monetized or exploited by big tech." Newsweek reached out to @nikigolesis via Instagram for comment.
Buzz Feed
12-02-2025
- Automotive
- Buzz Feed
The New USPS Truck Is Going Viral Again: "WTF Is Happening?"
In case you didn't know, the USPS truck got a fabulous new makeover. Long gone are the days of this stale-ass inefficient design. Say hello to the new one! So, the deal with the new USPS trucks, or Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs), is that they're designed to be safer, more efficient, and better for the environment. Well, someone on X was a bit late to the trend and asked"Wtf is happening?" People immediately brought up the design. "You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like," this person said. "Children not getting hit by trucks," another person chimed in. And this person said: "Beyond this just being an obvious precaution to avoid running over children, I find this design very charming. It's like what cars look like in 50s cartoons." Other people also expressed their love of the new design. "These are fire, straight out of a cartoon. god bless usps for not picking some vanilla design that everyone will forget," this person said. "Cannot WAIT to get my hands on one of these babies. Driving around in a futuristic cartoon from the 80s," another person said. And this person said, "This is how I draw cars. Love it." Ultimately, I can't wait to see one of these things in the wild. As a fan of this Dr. Seuss-esque design, I love a car straight out of the Fairly OddParents.
