To begin, the cooler making process has now been put on my top 10 list of most stressful activities, and I haven't even started the damn thing yet. Not only does it take up days worth of time, but it consumes all my thoughts. Every time I walk into my bedroom, theres the red and white Igloo cooler staring at me, waiting for me to paint it.

My second issue this week is trying to find someone I can pay to create this masterpiece, so I don't have to be embarrassed by my lack of artistic skills. It's going quite well actually. I've found three worthy contestants who have an education in cooler making. But before I even begin, I will be contacting whoever came up with the concept to design fraternity coolers, and letting them know that all boys really care about, is the alcohol you put inside the cooler. Also, I already have numerous do's and don't's of making a fraternity cooler. That being said..

1. Start at least 3 weeks in advance. I'm cutting it real close here with a week to spare, and knowing myself, I'll be filling in the letters to the Bud Light logo the morning before I board the bus to Lake Geneva, next Friday.

2. Actually spackle and sand it. I repeatedly told my mom to not buy anything other than paint, because I assumed those items were just simple suggestions, not mandatory. Little did I know, the paint doesn't stay on unless you purchase these other items.

3. Have a plan for each side. My motto is just to wing it for most activities in my daily life, along with this cooler, but not after seeing the intricate designs from other girls....

4. On that note, do look on Pinterest. After getting some ideas, I feel better about painting. A lot of girls give good tips, like using Mod Podge over photos directly on the cooler, or tracing over tissue paper from your computer. Pinterest also made me feel like a complete fool, for never being able to create anything close to what has been done before.

5. Actually make the most out of creating your cooler. It's surprisingly an awesome way to get to know your date better. You can potentially find out what music he likes, his favorite sports teams, and of course, his favorite beer.