RHONY's Jessel Taank Went Into Season 2 a 'Bit More Guarded

Jessel Taank is heading into season 2 of The Real Housewives of New York City with thicker skin.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the reality star, 41, opened up about the lessons she took from her first season on the revamped Bravo show and the challenges she's faced while adjusting to living life on television.

"I think as newbies coming into this world of reality, I think we were all a little bit shaken up once the show started to air," she said, referring to not only herself, but the entire cast. "It's almost like it hits you like a tidal wave and you don't really know what this is, or what to anticipate, or what to expect. So I do speak for the whole cast, going into season two, we all feel a little bit more just respectful."

Taank admitted that the journey has been like "nothing that I've experienced before," adding how, "this franchise is so beloved and people are so invested in everything you do and say, and all the details around your life are dissected."

While she's "obviously super excited to share more," the mom of two confessed she was "very aware" of what she should and shouldn't portray on camera.

"I don't want to change who I am necessarily, but I felt like I was a little bit more guarded this season, just because I know what some of the repercussions are if you're not," she explained.

Last year, Taank and her fellow housewives, Sai De Silva, Ubah Hussan, Jenna Lyons, Erin Dana Lichy and Brynn Whitfield made their debut as the revamped cast of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The PR maven faced her own challenges. Fans saw her fellow housewives speculate about her marriage when her husband Pavit shared his plans to fly to Vietnam and back in less than 24 hours for a Banh Mi sandwich. When she opened up about her upbringing and how she got her start, some of her castmates called her out for what they thought were inconsistencies in her story.

Taank also told PEOPLE about the unexpected consequences she's faced for opening up her life to viewers.

"You really need to condition your mind and your emotions to not let what people say affect you," she explained, noting how she and her housewives have taken a stance against cyberbullying this season.

"I feel like people think it's okay to just go on to our pages and say some of the most awful things and it's not okay," she continued. "And I think we want this to be a fun experience and I think it should be a safe place for us to be able to, we want to entertain, but at the same time share important stories. I think that a lot of us don't feel that we're able to do that because of some of the reactions."