7 Scuba Diving Tips I Wish I Knew as a New Diver (From a Young PADI Diver)

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Hey there! If you're reading this, you're probably new to scuba diving or thinking about getting certified. Either way, welcome! I'm a young certified PADI diver, and I’ve completely fallen in love with life beneath the surface.


I still remember how I felt on my first few dives, it was a mix of excitement and nerves. I had all these thoughts like:


“Can I really breathe underwater?”

“What if my mask floods?”

“Am I going to see a shark??” (And low-key hoping I would see one.)


Now that I’ve had a few dives under my belt, I wanted to share some real and honest tips that helped me feel more confident underwater. These aren’t textbook tips—they’re things I learned from actually being out there, messing up, asking questions, and just learning as I go.

1. Stay Calm and Just... Breathe

I know this sounds obvious, but it’s everything. The first time I dropped below the surface during training, I got overwhelmed. My brain was like, “Wait, this isn’t normal. You’re not supposed to be breathing down here.” And honestly, it was weird at first.

But the trick? Just focus on slow, steady breathing. In through your mouth, out through your mouth. It slows your heart rate and helps you think clearly. Plus, it helps you use less air, which means longer dives (and that’s the goal, right?).

Now, whenever I dive, I treat it like meditation. Breathing becomes this calming rhythm. I once had a dive where I almost forgot I was 30 feet underwater because I was so relaxed.

2. Take Your Time on the Way Down

Don’t feel pressured to descend fast, especially if you're still getting used to equalizing. There was one dive where I rushed the descent because everyone else seemed to be going down faster than me. Big mistake. My ears were killing me, and I had to come back up.

Your dive buddies will wait. Equalize every meter or so, don’t wait until your ears hurt. If they do, pause, go up a bit, and try again. No one’s going to judge you for taking your time. In fact, it shows you’re being smart and safe.

3. Always Double-Check Your Gear

One of the first habits I built was to never skip the pre-dive safety check—aka the BWRAF:

  • B – BCD (make sure it inflates/deflates)

  • W – Weights (are they secure?)

  • R – Releases (everything clipped properly?)

  • A – Air (regulators working? Do a few breaths.)

  • F – Final check (mask, fins, okay to go?)

Once, I forgot to tuck my octopus regulator properly, and it was just flapping around the whole dive. Not fun. Tiny things like this matter, so take those extra few minutes and go over everything, both yours and your buddy’s. It can make a huge difference.

4. Learn the Art of Buoyancy

Buoyancy is the skill that separates beginner divers from more experienced ones. At first, I was all over the place, floating up without realizing it, sinking when I didn’t mean to. But then I started using my breath more consciously.

If you want to stay level:

  • Take a deep breath in, you rise slightly.

  • Breathe out slowly, you’ll sink just a little.

It’s subtle but super powerful. I now try to use my BCD as little as possible once I’m at depth. When you get it right, it feels like flying. You’re not kicking or flailing—you’re just hovering, weightless. It’s the best feeling.

5. Be a Respectful Ocean Guest

The ocean isn’t a theme park, it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. I’ll be honest: I used to think it was okay to touch corals or chase after fish for a photo. But after learning more about how fragile marine life is, I changed completely.

Now, I don’t touch anything, I keep my fins up, and I make sure I’m not stirring up sand or bumping into coral. The best encounters are when animals choose to come near you, like that time a sea turtle swam right past me and looked me in the eye. I didn’t move. I just floated and watched—and I swear, that moment is burned in my memory forever.

6. Keep a Dive Log (You’ll Thank Yourself Later)

I know it feels nerdy at first, but logging your dives is super helpful. After each dive, I write down:

  • Where I was

  • Max depth & dive time

  • What I saw (hello, barracuda!)

  • What I did well

  • What I want to improve

Looking back, I’ve realized how much progress I’ve made. Dive #2 was me freaking out about clearing my mask. Dive #8? I hovered over a reef like a pro. It’s also a great way to remember dive sites, buddies, and even gear settings that worked for you.

7. Stay Curious and Keep Learning

Scuba diving isn’t just about checking off dives, it’s about growth. Ask your instructors questions. Chat with other divers on the boat. Watch how they move, how they trim their gear, how calmly they handle themselves. Every dive is a lesson.

I once dove with a 60-year-old instructor who was the calmest, smoothest diver I’ve ever seen. He barely moved, didn’t waste a breath, and had this insane ability to spot tiny creatures I’d swim right past. I learned more just from watching him than I did in some of my early classes.


If you’re new to diving, welcome to one of the most amazing communities on Earth. You’re going to have dives that are breathtaking and dives where your mask fogs up the entire time (been there). But every single dive is worth it.

Take your time. Be safe. Respect the ocean. And most of all, enjoy every moment down there.

See you underwater!

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