Mariam Avetyan (BAPG ‘25): “I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it”

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Contributed by Mariam Avetyan (BAPG ‘25) 

I’m a first-year BA in Politics and Governance (BAPG) student and a person with multiple interests. I am insanely curious about everything. The most insignificant phenomenon can generate in me a feeling of excitement and a desire to explore. That is why I feel myself developing and growing every day. I play drums in a marching band, perform in theater, dance, model, and shoot short music videos/movies. But, above all, I spend my time playing with my dog, Mikado.

Before coming to AUA, I was very interested in issues of human rights, which is why I chose the BAPG program. However, after starting university, I discovered lots of other interesting research areas. The BAPG program’s enthusiastic and encouraging instructors provide every student with an excellent entrance to the complicated and fascinating world of politics, and I am very glad for choosing this program. 

My Passion for Art and the Short Film “Early Adolescence”

Talking about art, I find myself getting into almost every field of it. My initial knowledge and abilities in art were shaped and developed attending a theater circle for over eight years. That gave me the opportunity to travel to Germany and perform there, participate in several dance music videos and movies, and so on. It has already been two years since I’ve been performing in different events as a drummer in the marching band “Yerevan Drums.” I also play the drum set and I am highly interested in music. At the moment, hip-hop is the genre I cannot imagine my life without. 

My love for music is also expressed in the short movies I make. Although the music I choose for my films usually guides the picture, in my recent film it is not the music that leads the story line, but rather the action. Filming a meaningful, high-quality, and story-based picture is what I have wanted to do for years. I lacked the equipment, ideas, and support from people close to me. All my past work left me dissatisfied since I did not use as many resources as proper. However, during the recent winter break I felt a strong desire to prove to everyone and, most importantly, to myself that I could do it. I could create a work in which I would put a lot of energy and resources; a work that would make me proud.

I asked a friend to help me with the shooting. The plot was ready in a day, while the actual shooting took two days. The entire movie making process, including planning, filming, and post-production took one week. The editing was done under somewhat complicated circumstances via a call from Armenia to Germany, but the film was complete and ready. I was personally impressed by the degree of my commitment to it. 

The film is called “Early Adolescence.” It is a story about teenage lovers who rush to move in together and start experiencing the hardships of adult life. After living together under the same roof, the couple realizes how diametrically opposed their views on life are: a girl who values entertainment, and a boy who prefers a stable and quiet life. They have to deal with ongoing fights, each other’s disturbing habits, and the responsibility of making a living. Unprepared for adult life, they trust a total stranger and lose everything they had.

Although the topic was rather alien to me, the idea of this story came to me out of nowhere. With my film, I want to show the struggles of teenagers, who rush to make crucial decisions in their lives and are unprepared to face the responsibilities of adult life.

While there is no dialogue in the film, it ends with the main character only pronouncing words of advice to the audience so others avoid such potential hardships. By depicting in detail the life of a teenage couple, I illustrate the risks the young nowadays take and the issues they face in their “free lives.” Even though the problem of early “independence and freedom” is very common nowadays, I hope the young generation will learn to value what they have and think through their actions before making crucial decisions in their lives.