First of all, you got this! It's never too late and early 20's is still young.

Others have said, you get to find a comfort with swimming and being in the water before learning to surf.

Professional sprinters learn to crawl, walk, run, then sprint. Similarly, you wanna learn how to swim, body surf, body board, then surf.

It's gradual steps that build upon each prior skillset.

Best way to improve is to make friends with people who have those skills and hang out with them. Go swimming with them, body surf with them, get tossed around the shorebreak until you look forward to it's power. Syncing up with the flow. That's what surfing is, syncing up with that energy. Before you dance you gotta bob yo head get a feel for the beat you feel me?

Make friends at the beach, people who can look after you share pointers and have fun with