I'm also 19. I also required some help with my swimming, so I signed up for a master's swimming club at my University. It was full of babes, and coached by a cool guy who just so happens to have gotten 11th at both the 5k and 10k Open Water Races at FINA this Summer.

I went from knowing how to dog paddle last January, to being passable at all 4 strokes, and a 1:40 / 100m freestyle by the middle of August.

Naturally, if you have more experience swimming, improvement takes longer, but a Master's Swim club at your University or College or Local pool with an attentive and skilled coach will be a big help. Swimming is hard to improve on your own, in my opinion.

P.s. Hot babes in swim suits.


EDIT: Another thing I forgot to mention. Some days our program got some pitiful attendance, even to the point that I got 3 or four sessions solo with the coach. Not bad considering for the price I paid.