During the COVID-19 pandemic, many educators had to shift their in-person teaching to either synchronous instruction using hybrid methods or asynchronous delivery with HyFlex models. In synchronous models, educators had to master many online tools to instruct and engage their students throughout the pandemic. Students may find online instruction an additional challenge beyond the typical academic demands of student lives. To grasp the problems students face, a team of STEM faculty members studied student feedback surveys related to online instruction. We focused specifically on the SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies) classroom model designed for "group-based" learning. The study investigates how hybrid instruction during the pandemic has affected students' study strategies, motivations, and group work in STEM SCALE-UP classrooms. We inquired students' preferred methods for group activities, their tendencies to participate in in-person group activities, and their concerns on privacy and camera usage. We also evaluated the emotional toll of online instruction on instructor-student relationships. Another factor we assessed was students' inclination to accessing unauthorized web-based assistance providers. This study has three primary aims. They are, understanding students' experiences of the transition from face-to-face to online learning, conducting an analysis of strengths and weaknesses/challenges of online learning during the pandemic, and offering suggestions and recommendations for the success of online learning modes during a crisis.