EMMA Watson has found it difficult to "function in the real world" since leaving the "bubble" of Harry Potter.

The British actor shot to international fame as Hermione Granger in the hugely successful fantasy film franchise.

Watson's work on the film series has come to an end and she admits adjusting to normal life hasn't come without its tests.

"Doing the Potters was such a bubble and then having to figure out how to function in the real world has been a challenge," she said.

"But it's been the small successes for me: I know how to use a washing machine, I can cook. It's worth it to me not to feel disconnected from everything, feeling like I'm in touch with people who do other things than acting."

Watson's family and friends have kept her down-to-earth throughout filming Harry Potter - which has helped her maintain a sense of normality in her life.

The 21-year-old star - who started shooting the franchise at the age of nine - insists she has a healthy balance between her everyday life and the star-studded one she has since become familiar with.

"I think humour has been a help. I have school friends, a group of people around me, who have carried me through this whole experience and aren't fazed if they ask, 'Oh what are you doing tomorrow?' and I say, 'I'm going up to see Mario (Testino) in Notting Hill, he's shooting me for the new Lancome campaign'," she quipped.

"I don't know - it is mad, and some days I feel a bit mad, but it's the balance that keeps me sane. I don't fully live it, this side of my life."

Watson is currently studying English at Oxford University. She is on a secondment from the American Ivy League campus Brown. The star loves the fact that she can enjoy her studies without the worry of what is coming next in her life.

"It's just given me time, really," she said.

"People use their time at university and at school, which I didn't have, to really think about and figure out what they want to do, and who they want to be. And it's been so nice not to be pushed around or pushed into doing things."