Opioid misuse is considered a national epidemic (The White House Office of National Drug Control, 2011), however not much is known about school-based behaviors or experiences correlated to opioid misuse. This phenomenological study explored the correlation between externalizing/acting out behaviors in a school setting and opioid misuse and identified sources of participants' feelings of not belonging to school. The purpose of this study was to help identify some school-based correlations to opioid misuse and to identify sources of not belonging at school. The following research question guided this study: To what extent did young adults who have and have not misused opioids experience externalizing/acting out behaviors in high school and in what ways did participants describe feelings of not belonging at school? All of the externalizing/acting out behaviors had a statistically significant positive correlation to opioid misuse, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. This study utilized a survey of 180 participants. Out of the 78 who have misused opioids, 44 were in treatment or recovery groups for Opioid Use Disorder, and 34 ranged in their misuse of opioids, from taking them frequently (daily/almost daily) to seldom (taken once or twice), while the remaining 102 survey participants made up the control group of not misusing opioids. This study brings important information on identifying potential school-based behaviors and experiences correlated to opioid misuse to help guide school staff, school administrators, and policy makers in preventing opioid misuse and having students feel more connected to school.