Springtime is here and it’s fraternity formal season! For the guys, formal is smooth sailing and worry free (besides asking a date). On the other hand, the ladies are stressed out to the max while preparing and painting the perfect cooler for their date.

Ladies, take a deep breath, get your crafting boxes out (I know you all have one) and get down to business. No matter what you paint, your date will greatly appreciate the cooler, more than you know!

Here are 10 tips for making an outstanding cooler for formal.

1. Don’t wait until the last minute to buy the cooler. I always buy the cooler in my hometown because the coolers disappear in Oxford as soon as springtime rolls around.

2. Make it personal. Try incorporating some of your date’s favorites into the cooler. For example, clothing brands, music lyrics, TV shows, etc. It really makes a difference when it is more personalized, rather than some random TFM quote you found online.

3. Paint pens are your friend. If you are going to be doing some writing on the cooler, don’t waste time trying to do it with a paintbrush. Go out and get some paint pens in different colors or classic black and white.

4. Use acrylic paint. I have always used acrylic paint because it’s easy to find and comes in so many fun colors. Stay away from puffy paint because it just chips off.

5. Modge Podge. For the ladies who aren’t as artsy, decoupage is always an option. Print out some patterns, quotes, photos or whatever you want and Modge Podge it onto the cooler. I have done this the past two years for a few aspects of my boyfriend’s cooler and it has worked out fabulously.

6. Use sealant spray. This is super important. You don’t want your lovely painted cooler to chip at formal, and for your artwork to be destroyed. When you have finished all of the painting, spray it with a few coats of clear sealing spray. I always use Krylon Clear Indoor/Outdoor Sealing Spray.

7. Be original. This goes along with making it personalized for your date. You don’t want to show up to formal and see 20 coolers with the same designs. Total bummer. I searched online for weeks trying to find something different, and I finally gave up. I have been dating my boyfriend for seven years and figured for his senior formal I could stray away from the frat apparel logos and make it more personal. He and I are both English education majors, so I always incorporate literature, somehow!

8. Enlist the help of others! Don’t work alone. You will wind up going insane if you try doing it all on your own. Ask your housemates, sorority sisters or your beloved mother for some help. My mom has helped me tremendously on every cooler I have made, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.

9. Use sticker letters. This year, I incorporated a lot of writing on my boyfriend’s cooler and I wanted it to look really nice and clean. For the lid of the cooler where it says our names, I used stickers I found at Hobby Lobby. I brushed some Modge Podge on, stuck the letters on, and then covered them with more Modge Podge. It took a few coats of Modge Podge to ensure that they were stuck down. The stickers made the lid look awesome.

10. Keep it fun! Don’t get down on yourself, or too worked up, during the cooler painting process. It will be beautiful no matter what and your date will absolutely love the fact that you even took the time to make a cooler for him.

I hope these tips help you out in crafting the perfect cooler for your formal date! Happy formal season and stay safe!