This document outlines the benefits of using data in social science courses from the first day of class. It discusses how data can boost students' quantitative literacy and engage them more actively with course content. Some example assignments are presented, such as starting class with data or requiring evidence-based arguments. Sources of publicly available data are also provided to help instructors incorporate real datasets and examples. The overall message is that using data frequently throughout courses can improve student learning and understanding of how social scientists work with evidence.