A lot of people on social media were talking last week about the craze known as the " dadbod ."

The term describes a guy who isn't obsessed with working out, but doesn't have a total beer gut. Think celebs such as Jason Segel...

The term describes a guy who isn't obsessed with working out, but doesn't have a total beer gut. Think celebs such as Jason Segel...

Or modern-day Leo (you still got it, Leo).

The term went insanely viral last week, sparking think pieces and, of course, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

But who came up with the dadbod? The term has been around the internet for awhile, but the latest craze for the dadbod seems to have been sparked by an essay written in March by a 19-year-old Clemson sophomore named Mackenzie Pearson.

In October Pearson began writing for The Odyssey , a national paper with writing from college students all over the country. She contributes one story a week.

Pearson told BuzzFeed News that she is a psychology major with a premed emphasis, but she enjoys writing as a hobby.

She said the term became a thing between her and her group of friends because "all three of us kind of liked this body type."

Pearson said she didn't make up the phrase "dadbod," but she had heard it a few times in different circles.

"[We called ourselves] the 'dadbod squad,'" she said.

Pearson said her friends actually helped her think of the idea for her now famous essay.

She said that in March, she was texting with her friends and asked if they had any funny topics she could write about for her next piece for The Odyssey.

They suggested they write about their shared love for the "dadbod," and Pearson thought it was a great idea.

She wrote a piece titled "Why Girls Love the Dad Bod," but it didn't get a lot of attention at first.