Dear Obsessed,

I’m so excited for you and your future of diving education. Passion becomes contagious, and you will attract people who want to help you learn more and give you opportunities you never dreamed possible. Here are a few ideas to get your fins spinning and back into the water.

Research your local dive center. Go into the store and start talking to people who work at the shop as well as other local divers. Join and participate in online groups. Observe and network. Update your resume with the skills you possess that can benefit your local dive shop, even if you aren’t looking for a job.

You might be able to trade equipment or classes by helping with a part of the business you qualify to support. Set up a meeting with the manager, owner or perhaps your open-water instructor to discuss possible ways to get discounts.

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You cannot be in a supervisory role for other scuba students until you are a dive professional, but there are many other ways you can benefit a dive shop. Many small businesses need help with social media marketing. Others may need help with inventory, prepping gear, cleaning or acting as a dive ambassador. Consider acting as an open-water dive student recruiter and get your peers and other students to sign up for scuba classes.

Dive stores are all different. Some have full-time employees who also are divemasters and dive instructors. Other shops rely on contract divemasters and dive instructors. With your “obsession,” you are the perfect candidate for a store to invest in. Many dive shop owners seek out future dive professionals by helping them get the dive training and education needed to advance. Most divers in leadership roles want to help the next generation of dive professionals, yet don’t fall into entitlement.

Related Reading: Ask Annie: How Do I Prepare for My First Boat Dive?

When I teach younger students, many get support from their families. Once you become a college student, I understand there are competing funds so you have to be creative. There are many scholarships and grants available for all levels of diver. Make sure that you read the requirements, meet the criteria and know the deadlines. Update your resume, get letters of reference, and write essays early.

The Women Divers Hall of Fame awards nearly 50 training grants and scholarships annually. The Our World Underwater Scholarship Society awards grants and scholarships to college-age students and recent graduates. As a graduate or Ph.D. student, look into the Zale Parry Scholarship. The Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences partnered with DAN to create the Diving Medicine Research Scholarship to expand knowledge of human physiology in the marine environment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Dr.Nancy Foster Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate-level research—particularly by female and minority students.

Be unstoppable. Be prepared for every opportunity. Imagination is not child’s play; it is that of the visionary. It’s great to be obsessed with diving. I certainly am. Now get busy and explore all the ways to get back into the water!