Sadie Sink Said She’s Avoiding Social Media and Focusing ‘On What’s Real’
Getty / Kevin Winter
Whether you watch the hit series Stranger Things or are a dedicated Taylor Swift fan, chances are you know Sadie Sink. The 20-year-old actress plays the character Max in Netflix’s action-packed show that’s brimming with 80s nostalgia, and she starred alongside Dylan O’Brien in Swift’s All Too Well: The Short Film. As someone who attracted a massive amount of fame at a young age, Sink is all about setting boundaries for her well-being, which she opened up about in a recent cover story with Glamour UK.
While Gen Z is often associated with extensive social media use (one report found the group spends an average of two hours and 43 minutes a day on social media platforms), Sink doesn’t even keep social media apps on her phone. “I don’t have the Instagram app or any social media apps on my phone. I’ll download it sometimes to check in, but I don’t really like to associate with any of the negative things on social media,” she told the magazine.
It’s no secret that social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, have their downsides, from negative comments to photos that perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards. “It took me a while to realize that social media probably isn’t the best place for me, but now I really don’t indulge in it much,” Sink told Glamour UK. (Related: Selena Gomez Revealed the Social Media Boundary That ‘Saved’ Her Life)
Instead of scrolling through social media feeds, Sink focuses “on what’s real,” she said in the interview. “My friends and the people in my circle, that’s what I pay attention to, rather than likes on pictures or what other people are posting or wearing and what they think I should be wearing, be it clothes or make-up.”
This is part of her ongoing journey to feeling confident and believing in herself, which she admits is isn’t always easy. “Self belief is obviously such an important thing and people preach about it all the time, but it’s a lot harder in practice,” said Sink. “Confidence is something that always goes up and down. There are times when you’re feeling really confident and other times where you’re a little more insecure,” she added, noting that acting as her character, Max, who exudes self assuredness, has helped with her own confidence.
Sink also believes that cultivating self-esteem becomes easier with age, Sink told Glamour UK. “Throughout middle school and high school, I don’t think there was ever a moment where I wasn’t doubting myself or feeling insecure and just trying to find myself,” she said. “You really have to get past those teenage years before you get there.”
It also probably didn’t hurt that Sink had the opportunity to work with Swift. “She’s such an incredible human being, so smart and so grounded. To have her as a friend, as a director, as a mentor and to be able to bring such an iconic song to life was just an honor,” said Sink. (Related: This Treadmill Workout Set to Taylor Swift Songs Is Going Viral on TikTok)
While you might not have the chance to be mentored by Swift, you can certainly embrace Sink’s social media boundaries to help boost your confidence and avoid negativity.