The　COVID-19　pandemic　has　instigated　considerable　unprecedented　challenges　to　tertiary　education　in　the　aftermath　of　the　mass　shutdown　of　universities　across　Hong　Kong　since　early　2020.　Accordingly,　shifting　the　traditional　modalities　to　the　online　model　has　been　opted　for　as　the　only　reasonable　alternative　in　the　breakout　period.　It　is,　then,　essential　for　educators　to　perceive　the　extent　to　which　students＇　learning　attainments　and　experiences　have　been　negatively　impacted　by　these　educational　changes　in　the　post-pandemic　era.　With　the　aim　of　examining　the　abrupt　changes　which　the　freshmen　students＇　e-learning　experiences　and　their　learning　environment　have　undergone　before　and　after　the　pandemic,　the　present　quantitative　study　was　conducted　at　a　Liberal　Arts　Institution　in　Hong　Kong,　whose　data　was　collected　via　the　web-based　questionnaire　FYSLES,　or　＂first-year　student　learning　experience　survey＂.　Quantitative　analysis　of　responses　indicated　that　students＇　impressions　and　experience　of　liberal　arts　education,　and　students＇　personalities　and　skills　development,　presented　a　U-shaped　trend　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic.　The　underlying　rationale　of　this　study　is　addressed　to　higher　education　policymakers　to　orient　and　add　value　to　their　safety　measures,　pertinent　recommendations,　as　well　as　in　context　strategies　that　could　be　established　in　view　of　the　pandemic＇s　detrimental　effects.