For all of you girls out there preparing for your weekend away at a frat formal in the next couple of weeks, you have a lot of work to do I must say. But don’t panic, this is meant to be fun not stressful, even if you do not consider yourself a pro cooler decorator. Yes, you may be spending a lot of time and effort that could also be spent studying, but it’s time to manage your time like you’ve never done before.

First thing’s first, buy a cooler. Acme, BJ’s, Walmart; pretty much every grocery type store will carry coolers of all sizes, just make sure you get there before they sell out. The extra large coolers are great and all, but keep in mind the designs you’ll be painting and the electric sanding that’s involved. So once the cooler is purchased, either track down a boy on campus who is willing to sand your cooler to perfection (hopefully for a reasonable price), or split the price of the sander between a few friends and enter the world of carpentry for the occasion. Once the sanding is complete, don’t forget to prime it. I highly recommend the spray version, just stay away from your dorm because your RA will probably come hunt you down for “painting the property”.

When it comes to painting a cooler, Pinterest is your best friend. All you have to type into the search bar is frat coolers and you’ll be amazed with the results. From incredibly detailed and advanced artist level all the way to simple and easy sunset backdrops, the possibilities are endless. And then when you go to buy the paint, think back to elementary school art class… Primary colors! You really only need to buy the OG primary colors: blue, red and yellow of course. Plus maybe black and white, even silver and gold if you want to spice it up a little bit.

Next comes the snacks and drinks to fill up the cooler. You should probably ask your date for their beverage of choice, then throw some others in there as well. Make sure theres something that you like too or you could be an unhappy formal goer which no one wants. Oh and don’t forget the non alcoholic drinks, you also will not be happy drinking straight vodka on the beach (or mixing with ocean water if you just need something to wash it down). And then some snacks of course, who can go a full weekend without snacks? There's a slight chance this will be your only source of food for the weekend, so be prepared.

Whatever you do, just plan ahead and get your cooler painted and filled in the knick of time, and everything else will go as planned. Oh and don't forget that Pinterest is your best friend.