I just wanted to clarify the intent of my post, in case there was any doubt of what I was trying to tell a freshly minted diver.
In no way was I suggesting that solo diving was the best there is and a goal to have in mind. As a matter of fact, it is still (rightly so in some cases) frown upon by many. This is not a decision I made lightly, and as I was explaining, I sought training before I did it (lots of redundancy, dive planning and warnings worth learning about in any case). I never dive solo but from charter boats where I know I can get back safely or get support from if needed (no solo beach diving, kayak diving or lake diving, you name it).
In fact, if I mentioned it, it is simply as maybe a forewarning of what might be a cause of frustration for many, that is the difficulty to dive regularly (and if possible often) to keep proficient, and with the same people.
This being said, in the same situation (freshly certified diver), I used another approach, which while costly, was the appropriate one for me, as I was a really clumsy diver to start with: I enrolled in class after class to keep diving in a supervised environment, while keeping challenging myself and my technique. Obviously a lot of what I supposedly learned then was lost on me for lack of experience, but it brought me past the 50 dive levels safely, with students some of whom are still my occasional buddies. I can not gauge how practical that is for the OP, but I would say that aiming for a rescue diver certification, maybe a master scuba diver one, and then... why not, a solo diver certification, could be another way to keep at it, especially if there is no such things as charter boats in his area (I misread his location when posting my first answer).
In any case, keep diving, keep learning and dive safely.
