1. Sudden Fame
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Wilson was not prepared for the attention she got when Skins became a hit. “I didn’t really feel like I was growing up in the public eye,” she says. “Obviously for the first series, no one cared because no one knew it even existed, and then the second series obviously, there’s a lot more pressure – there was a lot more people who were aware of it then, but I kinda felt like it was a bit overwhelming. I think people knowing who you are and then staring at you is not something you ever get used to. I was like what eighteen, nineteen? It’s a lot because I was still young and still learning a lot about myself. It was quite a strange, overwhelming feeling.”
2. Advice on Parenthood
Wilson has good advice for what first-time parents should expect after having a baby. “As a first time parent, I noticed so many unspoken changes that occurred,” she captioned an Instagram post. “There was so much to process, with becoming a mum and all the transitions that came with it. I remember thinking ‘I wish someone told me how different things can be and how a lot of it is beyond your control as a new parent’. Parenthood is far from linear, and actually that first year is HARD on the body, mind and relationships.”
3. Mature Student
Wilson went to university later than she intended after getting the role on Skins. “It was strange because I never saw myself as an academic, it was never something I was ever interested in,” she says. “In fact, when Skins came around, I was glad that I could drop out of school because I was like, ‘I’ve got an excuse now’. I was really vulnerable I think more so than when I did Skins because with Skins I had no idea what I was walking into, whereas with this, I was fully aware and I made an active choice so there was a lot at stake for that reason and because it was later on, obviously I went when I was twenty-five. It was massive, it was completely life changing. It was so rewarding and I learnt more about myself than I ever had before.”
4. Words of Wisdom
Wilson has good mental health tips for her fans and followers. “It is essential to know what we can control and what we cannot,” she captioned a post. “Not everything is on our hands, and we should stop putting pressure on ourselves to become perfect. We are human beings, we choose to live our lives based on our rules, and the opinions of others should not affect our decisions. We might not control what other people think of us, but we can decide if we’re going to be impacted by their thoughts or not. Not everyone will understand us, but it is okay as long as we understand ourselves and as long as we keep in mind that some things are not under our control.”
5. Try Anything Once
Wilson doesn’t believe anyone should feel boxed in or shut out of new experiences. “I don’t think you should ever, in life, limit yourself to one thing,” she says. “I think we’re in a society that tells us we should go to school, go college, go university and then pick one thing. They tell us that that’s how we’re meant to live so we spend our lives thinking, and trying to figure out what that one thing is that we want to do and that’s not the way it has to be at all. You can have multiple different things, it’s just how much work you’re willing to put into it and how much time you’re willing to dedicate. I think you should never really, unless it’s your relationship, don’t put your eggs all in one basket. Give yourself options especially when you’re young, now is the time to experiment and try out different things.”
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