This study examined the benefits of early involvement in co-curricular activities and first-year seminars among first-year college students with respect to alcohol and other drug use, self-worth perceptions, attitudes toward social justice, engagement in the academic process, and community service involvement approximately 6 weeks into the fall term of the first year. Also considered were the housing arrangements of students: traditional dorms, college apartments, or at home with parents. Data were collected from 160 women and 50 men at a parochial liberal arts university. Students completed a student development survey and indicated the co-curricular activities in which they participated. Results show that becoming involved in co-curricular activities and specially designed small seminars for first-year students provides many benefits for students even in the first 6 weeks of school. Results at least suggest that becoming involved early in college pays dividends with respect to better attendance at classes, less binge drinking and illicit drug use, expressing a greater commitment to social justice, and placing a higher level of important on performing community service. Results also show that commuter students who lived at home appeared to benefit by being less involved in binge drinking and experienced fewer problems related to alcohol use, but they were also less involved in the social and co-curricular life of the college. (Contains 3 tables and 11 references.) (SLD)