College will be different from high school — but aren't you glad?

You can start a new chapter in your life and become the person you want to be. You'll have plenty of choices regarding how to get involved and how to spend your time.

More than 300 student organizations, including 30 fraternities and sororities, contribute to an engaging college experience. Select from academic, multicultural, political, professional, religious/spiritual, service, spirit and special interest groups, or get active in club sports. UNT offers many opportunities to develop your leadership skills.

Ethnic and cultural diversity are embraced at UNT. You can participate in festivals and activities or join organizations celebrating various cultures. Speakers like Maya Angelou visit campus on a regular basis and the Multicultural Center provides social and academic support.

Music and the arts are a vital part of the UNT campus because of our excellent degree programs in these areas. Concerts, exhibitions, performances and film screenings abound, often featuring students or their work.

NCAA Division I-A athletics provide excitement and build camaraderie. Cheer for the Mean Green at the football stadium, basketball court, soccer field and more (16 men's and women's teams).

You will work hard in college, so it helps to reduce stress, blow off steam and improve your fitness at our huge student recreation center, which features a climbing wall, cardio area, weight zone, indoor track, aerobics rooms, basketball courts, leisure and exercise pools and an outdoor sand volleyball court. It's the ultimate health club - and for UNT students, membership is automatic.

Your physical well being also includes a sense of personal security. UNT works hard to be a safe campus. A new emergency contact system, Eagle Alert, can quickly alert students, faculty and staff by e-mail, phone and text message if there is an emergency or campus closing. Other features include a nighttime safe ride program known as e-ride, a nationally accredited university police department, 60 emergency call boxes, officers on bicycles and a well-lighted campus.

The campus offers numerous options for eating healthy, including salads, sushi and low-fat entrees. Some dining halls provide vegan/vegetarian entrees.

UNT is the largest residential campus in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, housing more than 6,000 students. Studies show that students who live on campus get the most out of their college experience. Perhaps just as important to students is being able to sleep later - some roll out of bed 10 minutes before their first class.

Two new residence halls opened in Fall 2007 — Legends Hall (next to the recreation center) and Honors Hall (for students in the Honors College). Each of our 14 residence halls has its own personality, and various living-learning communities are available.

A number of fraternity and sorority houses on campus provide student living quarters. Sorority Row, which opened in 2004, is home to Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Pi Beta Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha.

A free campus shuttle bus service makes it easy for students to get to class on time, even if they live in nearby apartments. An express bus service between Dallas and UNT now allows commuter students to ride free by showing a valid UNT ID.

UNT's Off-Campus Services and Community Development Office helps address the needs of students who don't live on campus.