During the early COVID-19 pandemic, the educational system suffered significant setbacks. Because face-to-face communication opportunities were limited, a modern approach through a distance system was adopted. Most studies have examined the impact of pandemics on the activities and lives of workers, few scholars observe how students cope with the changes. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of pandemics on higher education students by considering academic, social, emotional, and behavioral changes. More than 10 questions were used in this paper to represent four categories related to students' lives. The study included 1,227 students from five continents: Asia, Europe, America, Africa, and Oceania. The study showed that students have no difficulty learning the available technology to help them with their studies. In addition, they are socially active in different networks, maintain positive emotions and personal hygiene. demonstrating an understanding of the pandemic situation and concern for public safety. The data showed that the shift to online learning did not affect students' attitudes toward education in general. Although the use of social media has increased, students' communication habits have remained unchanged.