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I first learned how to dive when I was in grad school in 2013 and quickly fell in love with this sport.  
My path to becoming Scuba certified was not entirely without challenges.  The first time I went underwater during a pool session while wearing full scuba gear including face mask, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of panic and sudden desire to get my head out of the water.  There was an immediate instinctive mammalian response to being surrounded by water.  With time, training, and experience, I was able to overcome this feeling and condition myself to adapt to the aquatic environment.  Nevertheless, every time I get back in the water (particularly after an extended period of time between dives), it still takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to gradually acclimate to the pressure.