COVID-19　is　reshaping　the　relationship　between　humans　and　their　living　environment,　potentially　generating　a　profound　impact　on　human　physical　and　mental　health　and　quality　of　life.　The　objective　of　this　study　was　to　explore　how　outdoor　activities　and　the　campus　landscape　impacted　the　subjective　well-being　(SWB)　of　Chinese　university　students　in　the　pre-COVID-19　era　(before　December　2019)　and　during　the　COVID-19　era　(from　December　2019　to　early　December　2022).　This　study　collected　439　valid　questionnaires　from　students　at　a　Chinese　university,　with　the　questions　focusing　on　the　frequency　and　length　of　time　that　university　students　of　different　genders,　grades,　and　abilities　to　cover　their　living　expenses　participated　in　outdoor　activities　in　the　pre-　and　COVID-19　eras,　as　well　as　the　changes　in　their　SWB.　Paired　sample　t　tests　revealed　a　significant　decrease　in　SWB　during　the　COVID-19　era　compared　with　the　pre-COVID-19　era,　while　independent　sample　t　tests　and　a　one-way　ANOVA　showed　that　changes　in　the　SWB　of　university　students　pre-　and　during　COVID-19　were　not　related　to　their　gender　or　their　ability　to　cover　their　living　expenses,　but　were　related　to　their　grades.　Hierarchical　linear　regression　showed　that　outdoor　activities　in　the　COVID-19　era　had　a　significant　effect　on　mitigating　the　decline　in　students＇　SWB.　These　results　suggest　a　proactive　way　to　increase　resilience　to　future　public　health　challenges　and　other　crises　of　human　life　safety.