After you get over the excitement of being asked to your favorite frat’s away weekend, the daunting reality sets in… you now have to think of creative ideas to paint on your cooler, buy a cooler you can actually paint on, and fill your cooler. Then, pray that your date actually likes it. Here are some tips to help you make the perfect cooler.
Step one: Finding the perfect cooler
Yes ladies, size matters…
You want to get a cooler that fits enough, but you also want to get one that is too big that it will be like you are painting a mural on your cooler or that will be a hassle to take to your away weekend destination. I would recommend a cooler that is 25 to 48 Quarts because they will fit everything you need to put inside your cooler without being a hassle to carry!
Also when deciding upon a cooler, you need to take into consideration color and texture. In a perfect world, Target wouldn’t be sold out of the all white coolers that are smooth. But because there are hundreds of girls in College Park trying to find the perfect cooler, chances are they will all be sold out. So the next best option would be a smooth colored cooler that you can either spray paint or paint white. But whatever you do, try to avoid a ridged cooler. They are much harder to paint on and you don’t need any added stress.
AVOID:
Also: Try and find a cooler without a lot of logos on it.
Step two: Ideas for what to put on your cooler
To find some cooler ideas, Pinterest is always the move. You can search away weekend coolers for the specific frat you’re going to, or just away weekend coolers in general.
Another good place to find ideas for your coolers is the Facebook page The Cooler Connection. They have pictures of coolers done by people from colleges all over the country and under the Files section they have ideas for phrases and logos to put on your cooler.
You can never go wrong with putting the logos of your date’s favorite sports teams, alcohol, or brands on your cooler. If you are really creative you will incorporate your date’s name into one of these logos. When in doubt, put the American flag or Maryland flag on your cooler.
Warning: Some frats do not want you to put their letters on their cooler, be sure to ask your date about this before you put it on his cooler!
Step Three: Buy the supplies to paint your cooler
What You Need:
1) Paint — once you have your ideas and know what you’re painting, getting the color paints that you need (Acrylic paints are best)
2) Sandpaper to make your cooler as smooth as possible
3) Sharpie Paint Pens – for those of you who aren’t very artistic this could make your life a lot easier, especially if you are putting quotes on your cooler. Just make sure to get the oil based ones
4) Paint brushes
5) Plastic primer – if you want painting your cooler to be as easy as possible, use primer first
6) Mod Podge – this will be crucial if you want to take images off the Internet to put on your cooler. Grab the outdoor use formula in the green bottle
7) White Spray Paint – only necessary if you bought a colored cooler and want your surface you paint on to be white
8) Tracing paper – if you want to take a design off the Internet, it may be easiest for you to buy tracing paper so you can trace your design onto your cooler and then paint it
9) Pencil – you’ll need this if you decide to trace your design onto your cooler
10) Finishing Spray – if you want you can put a finishing coat on your cooler to make sure the paint doesn’t chip off as easily
Step Four: Sand your cooler
According to the Facebook group The Cooler Connection, the best sandpaper to use is heavy grit to get the finish off of your cooler and fine grit to smooth your cooler. You can find these at the Home Depot in College Park.
After sanding, be sure to rinse off your cooler with a hose.
Step Five: Put the Plastic Primer on your cooler
Make sure the Plastic Primer is for outdoor use! You can also buy this from the Home Depot in College Park.
Step Six: Paint the background color on the cooler
You can buy acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and paint pens at Michael’s. There is one in Columbia, MD and one in Silver Spring, MD. Or borrow from other crafty sisters
Step Seven: Put the Designs on your cooler
You can do this by printing out pictures from the Internet and using Mod Podge to stick them on your cooler. The Mod Podge you buy should be for outdoor use with the green label! You can also print out the pictures you want from the Internet and use the tracing paper and a pencil to transfer the image onto the cooler. Then, you can paint what you traced.
Step Eight: Put the Finishing Spray on your cooler
Step Nine: Fill your cooler
Ask your date what he would like in his cooler! It will make your life a lot easier and you know he will be happy!
Step Ten: Have a Great Time at Away Weekend
Now that your cooler is finished and full and your date is happy, have a blast at your destination! And hope that your date doesn’t leave the cooler you worked so hard on at away weekend…