Though One Tree Hill has been off the air for nearly a decade, it has resurfaced in popularity due to the launching of a rewatch podcast by three of the lead actors: Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton Morgan and Bethany Joy Lenz. Their takes on the show years later has reminded fans of all the things One Tree Hill got right about teenagers in the early aughts, and a couple of the things it got wrong.

So far, the Drama Queens podcast has praised Lenz’s character Haley James Scott as being the voice of reason, wise beyond her years, and just an all-around easy person to root for. Haley’s journey over the course of the series isn’t an easy one, but she handles it with such grace and wise quotes that fans can’t help but look back and remember what a phenomenal example she set for young women.

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“Stand Up For What You Believe In. The Truth Matters, So Tell It No Matter What.”

Due to the five-year time jump in season five, viewers got to see Haley James Scott go from being “tutor girl” to an actual teacher at Tree Hill High School.

Though she was pretty close in age to her students, she still inspired them to be the best versions of themselves, and taught them lessons that mirrored those that Coach Whitey taught her class when they attended the same school. She encouraged her students to be true to themselves and one another, and that the rest would come easy if they did so.

“I Think Eventually We Learn To Define Happiness On Our Own Terms, In Spite Of The Pain Other People Have Caused Us.”

Haley was no stranger to pain, beginning with her marriage nearly crumbling in season two after she went on tour with Chris Keller. After that, danger struck her in a million different ways such as a school shooting, nearly losing her husband on their wedding day, getting hit by a car and having her son and husband kidnapped.

Despite all of this, Haley remained the most positive character on the show. She took life day by day and refused to let the hardships get to her. She preached creating her own happiness, and that’s exactly what she did, even if it wasn’t always easy.

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“Someone Once Said That Death Is Not The Greatest Loss In Life. The Greatest Loss In Life Is What Dies Inside Of Us While We Live.”

Of all the horrible things to happen to the Scott’s, the loss that hit Haley the hardest was the death of her mother, Lydia. When her mom returned to Tree Hill to say her goodbyes in the seventh season, Haley was torn apart and couldn’t imagine life without Lydia just a phone call away.

After her mother’s death, Haley fell into a deep depression with no light at the end of the tunnel. Despite her husband Nathan’s best efforts to help her, she maintained that she needed to heal on her own terms and her own time. Her quote about what dies inside while living perfectly correlates to how she felt like part of her died when her mom did, and though it was heartbreaking she was able to overcome it by giving herself space and time to grieve.

“I Gave You My Heart And That’s All I Can Give You, And If That’s Not Enough, Then I’m Not Enough For You.”

Haley and Nathan began dating on One Tree Hill in the first season as she tutored him, and the rest was pretty much history. They got married at 17, had a baby by 18 and spent the rest of the series together dealing with the ups and downs that come with marriage.

The beginning of their relationship wasn’t smooth sailing though, as they had different expectations for one another when it came to love and sex. Haley always wore her heart on her sleeve and was honest and upfront about her feelings and beliefs, and this quote about giving him her heart and that needing to be enough was the perfect message to send to young viewers.

“Love Means Giving Chances When There’s No More Chances Left To Give.”

Haley and Nathan went through a lot during the course of the show, but they always managed to stick by each other even when it seemed like their challenges would be impossible to overcome.

Haley constantly reminded her friends that love was all about giving your partner room to mess up and to be there to catch them when they fall. Haley was always Nathan’s No. 1 supporter, stood by his side through thick and thin, and loved him more with each passing year.

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“It Didn’t Matter Without You. None Of It Mattered Without You.”

Haley’s most unlikable story arc was in season two when she chose to leave high school, Tree Hill, and her marriage behind to pursue her pop star dreams by touring with Chris Keller. In doing so, she became distant from her friends and nearly got divorced.

However, the time alone on tour allowed Haley to realize that all she needed and wanted was to be surrounded by her friends and family, and that she had her whole life to make music but only her teenage years to enjoy high school. While pleading with Nathan to forgive her for her choices, she assured him that none of the success or opportunities mattered without him by her side, as he was the love of her life.

“The Rest Of Your Life Is Being Shaped Right Now By The Dreams You Chase, The Choices You Make, And The Person You Decide To Be.”

Haley was always deliberate with her choices. She made the decision to get married while still attending high school, but it wasn’t a choice she made lightly. She got her parents’ permission, made sure she was really in love, and fought for the marriage when it was falling apart.

Haley gave great advice to her students by encouraging them to decide to be the best versions of themselves. Haley learned that lesson back in high school, and spent the rest of the series being authentic and true to herself. Giving that advice to teenagers was wise on her part, as she had a hand in helping them decide who they wanted to be.

“I Don’t Think You Ever Realize How Much You Love Something Until You Have To Give It Up.”

Though Haley and Nathan’s marriage was a bit toxic in season two, their relationship emerged stronger than ever after they decided to get back together.

Haley’s time away on tour made her realize that what she and Nathan had was worth fighting for, and Nathan’s time without Haley made her realize that she made him the person he had always wanted to be. This quote from Haley is a great lesson in growing up and figuring out what it was she wanted. If it wasn’t for a brief separation, there’s no telling if Nathan and Haley would’ve lasted forever.

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“Ambition Is Good. Chasing Things With Integrity Is Good. Dreaming.”

Over the course of nine seasons, Haley James Scott learned a lot when it came to love, motherhood, friendship and her career. Through it all, she never stopped dreaming and chasing after the things she wanted; her husband Nathan, her children, her Tree Hill best friends, and a balanced career in teaching and the music industry.

At the end of the final season, Haley reflected on the past ten years of her life and how even though not every choice she made was the right one, she still learned from it and learned that being a good person was all that mattered.

“Isn’t That What It’s All About? If We’re Not Looking For The One We Want To Be With Forever Then What Are We Doing?”

Haley’s unlikely friends Brooke and Peyton were shell-shocked when she delivered this quote about relationships and love. Haley’s outlook on romance had always been to move forward with the intention of having a love that lasts forever, while Brooke and Peyton were still teenagers looking at relationships in a short-term view.

Haley knew when she began dating Nathan that she wanted them to be together forever, and she worked hard to make that dream a reality. Her views on love and marriage weren’t shared by everyone, but she did beg the question, “If we’re not looking for the one we want to be with forever then what are we doing?”.

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About The Author


Emily Proctor
(212 Articles Published)

Emily Proctor is an entertainment writer and avid television fan. She recently graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts. In addition to writing for Screenrant, Emily frequently publishes personal essays on her Medium profile and personal blog SheWritesTV.com. She is also an aspiring actress and songwriter.

You can follow Emily on Twitter at @emproct for more of her opinions on pop culture, the latest TV and movies, and links to her work.

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