When you’re dropped off at university, despite any nerves you’re generally pretty keen to get rid of the parents and start working out what’s what.

So when Avery Leilani visited Texas State University for ‘freshman orientation’ – a chance for new students to spend a couple of days at their chosen university ahead of term – she probably wasn’t too bothered when her mum bid her farewell for a bit.

Until she realised what her mum, Danielle Clay, had been up to on her little wander. Namely, getting to know the college’s (shirtless) football stars.

Leilani tweeted a screenshot of the ensuing conversation, which the internet loves so much it is, at time of writing, nudging 450,000 likes and 100,000 retweets.

Speaking to USA TODAY College, one of the players, Gabe Schrade, said he and his teammates were more than happy to pose with Clay – who, like a total star, had written to her daughter: “I made some friends. Don’t wait up!”

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“She said it was a selfie contest for prize money toward tuition. She walked over and asked us to make it special for her so we did our best improv, and it looks to have turned out well so far.”

Leilani says she had no idea it was for a competition and posted the screenshot because she thought it was funny, though sadly her hero mum did not win the university’s prize of $500 towards her tuition fees.

However it did prompt some to tweet about their own awesome mums:

But mainly, the internet was just loving it:

Main image: twitter.com/Avery_Leilani