Starting my 8th-grade year of middle school and throughout high school, I spent years growing up with the characters of One Tree Hill. Nine seasons, through thick and thin, I watched OTH religiously. Whether it was Haley James, Nathan Scott, Lucas Scott, Peyton Sawyer or Brook David, or wise advice from Whitey Durham, each of these characters taught me something. No matter what I was going through in life, whatever hardships high school brought me, OTH had a way of bringing me comfort and clarity in my own life situations through their experiences.
1. Lucas Scott
Lucas does this incredible thing where no matter what he does, he gives it 100 percent and is so passionate about it. Whether it is his friends, basketball, writing his novel, passion and effort just radiate off him. He is the guy everyone wants to be friends with because he can make them feel better; the one that can always promise a good laugh. He is reliable. I admire him as a character and his love for everyone and everything around him. There needs to be more Lucas's in the world.
2. Haley James
Haley James (Scott) has taught me to see the best in people. Even when I have no reason to believe anything rather than the worst. Whether it was in Nathan, Kris Kellar, or the talented and Irish Erin Macree that Haley met through the Crisis Center Hotline. Haley has this way of finding beautiful things in the hardships of life. Her humble, kind and compassionate personality inspires me to be more like her.
3. Nathan Scott
While Peyton has taught me a lot through nine seasons, I think the most impactful message I have learned from her is to let the arts heal me. Whether that is music or drawing (or in my case, reading and writing), art can heal us if we let it. Sometimes that one song can change your life, where every word means something to you. Maybe it makes you break down in tears, or maybe it makes you smile by bringing back memories.
5. Brooke Davis
Brooke Davis was a rebel in high school. Let's face it. She was a little slutty. But we love her as a character. Brooke taught me that it's okay to struggle to find yourself and that you shouldn't be ashamed to be yourself and discover who you are.
6. Whitey Durham
Whitey was so much more than a basketball coach. He is so wise and truly cares about the kids in high school. How could an old man in a TV show help me grow up right? Whitey taught me a few things. First off, adversely to Dan Scott, Whitey taught me to let the game heal me. Sports have helped me get through hardships in life. Focusing all my energy on a game for a little bit can do wonders for the mind. Whitey also was great at throwing in a piece of wisdom every now and then like the quote above. I'm not sure if I have read anything truer than this. Even though Whitey was just a character on a TV show, he changed my life.
7. Mouth McFadden
Everyone has a friend like Mouth. The guy that you love to death, but immediately friend zone. Mouth taught me that those types of guys are the best. The not so hot, athletic or “player" type of guy is the one I will marry someday. Mouth isn't the guy that should be friend zoned. Mouth taught me what I should look for in a guy and that I deserved so much more than the cocky, good for nothing basketball player that I was with while watching the show.
8. Jimmy Edwards
Jimmy. I don't think any single character impacted me in one single episode than Jimmy Edwards. I actually first learned about OTH in my middle school English class when my English teacher had us watch the school shooting episode. His character and that episode have stuck with me ever since. Bullying is not okay. Bullying has consequences. People that are bullied have feelings, real feelings just like anyone else. While I have always known this, I believe that this episode changed me — it made me more aware of my words, my actions and how they affect people.
Jimmy Edwards was not just a character, he represents every person who has ever been bullied, or has ever felt like there is no way out —that life will never get better. He represents all of the people suffering from bullying and mental illness, and what the consequences of our words are. Be kind, be humble, and treat people the way you want to be treated.
