The world is changing, and we're all invited.

When Emma Watson began her speech at the launch of the United Nation's gender equality campaign in New York yesterday, she made a point of addressing every person in the room.

"Your excellences, UN Secretary General, President of the General Assembly, Executive Director of UN Women, and distinguished guests, today we are launching a campaign called HeForShe."

Her intention, much like the campaign itself, aimed to promote unity and inclusion within the audience she was speaking to, a sense that each and every person in that room was invited to listen, regardless of their race, their religion, their ethnicity and of course, their gender.

HeForShe is indeed a campaign which aims to make an immense impact on the movement towards abolishing gender inequality. What makes it unique is that both men and women are being encouraged to play a part in instigating change.

What makes Emma's Watson's speech especially unique is the recognition of an ironic gender imbalance in the fight towards total gender equality, as well as the negative connotations brought about to this movement by the word "feminism".

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In modern society, we are graced by the presence of female ambassadors like Caitlin Moran, Suzanne Moore, even Beyoncé, who triumph feminist ideologies and encourage women to express their sexuality and female empowerment in an often male-dominated world.

Caitlin Moran's 2011 best seller How to be a Woman indeed addresses the issues of the modern woman, guiding readers both old and young through an age in which women can find themselves oppressed by society, the media and their peers.

But how is a man supposed to understand and support the concept of feminism when every piece of literature written about it seems to be aimed at women?

"How can we affect change in the world if only half of it is invited?" Emma Watson says.

While the word "feminism" is not in any way defined by "male-bashing" or female superiority, associations with it have become too tainted to encourage any real support for the ideas it is striving to achieve. The etymology of the word itself connotes "a state of being feminine". The "fem" part of the expression is enough to assume that it is for women only, even if this isn't the case.

Does the problem of capturing the attention of the masses therefore lie with the word itself, rather than the meaning behind it?

It is this new approach that can guarantee this movement's success. Everyone needs to be involved if any impact is to occur. It is, after all, not just women who face monumental tribulations in their day to day lives. Watson makes a point of highlighting the shocking global volume of male suicide rates, and that men can too be victimised.

It will be difficult to shift the tainted reputation of the word "feminism", but this campaign does indeed have the potential to formulate a new and successful space for total gender equality. Let's not waste time trying to convince people what feminism actually means. Let's instead work on what it is intending to achieve.

Zipworld - the nearest thing to flying.

The beginning of September saw myself and six friends do one of the coolest things I think I will probably ever do.

It was my best friend Alice's idea to sign up to Zip World, home to the longest zip wire in Europe and located in the beautiful Penrhyn Quarry in North Wales. We stayed in a lovely little cottage for four fantastic days in Bethesda village, only a short distance from the seaside town of Bangor.

With Busted's back catalogue and the Frozen soundtrack as musical accompaniments, our adventure began on a sunny Thursday afternoon. Minor departure delays came as a result of my incompetence and failure to remember important items like my phone, purse, house keys etc. Suffice to say I wasn't exactly the most popular member of the group at the beginning of our journey.

Friday morning saw us experience an undesirable combination of nerves and tiredness from the previous night's antics. It was upon our arrival to the Zip World site that butterfly sensations began flapping at maximum velocity. (Probably the single most ridiculous sentence I've ever written). The zip line was really bloody high.

We were weighed, instructed to dress up in our safety gear - goggles, helmets and all - and headed up to the first of our zip line rides. The 'Little Zipper' stood at around 72 ft and intended to give us a mere taster of the full experience (yes, really). Rather than sitting upwards as you would with a regular playground zip wire, the harness was hooked up so we were laying flat, offering an almost authentic sense of 'flying'.

The anticipation for the 500 ft 'Big Zipper' was painfully long after the incredible adrenaline rush of the smaller one. After being strapped up we were left dangling at the top for what seemed like an eternity as the instructor waited for the previous person to reach the other side of the line.

A countdown finally commenced and we quickly found ourselves shooting down the wire at around 80 mph, cutting through the air above the picturesque view of the quarry beneath. The scenery was utterly, and almost literally, breathtaking. It truly gave you a buzz like no other.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't absolutely terrifying, but it was without a doubt one of the best experiences I have ever had. I recommend it to anyone who believes they too can face their fear and take on the challenge - I know I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Have a look for yourself here at www.zipworld.co.uk

Is the album soon to be six feet under?

I would probably best describe the music my 19 year old brother blasts from his bedroom as, at the risk of sounding very old, "just noise".  Never an ideal supplement for a headache, a hundred times worse in the case of a hangover.  Very rarely are there any lyrics - the occasional yell, I suppose, but nothing really ever worth mentioning.

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We speak often about our differing musical tastes, what is good, what is not, where the industry is heading and what we can expect to see or hear in the near future. My inability to face facts about the relevancy of albums has been the core of many an argument, and I am reminded on an almost daily basis that my frequent purchasing of said item will inevitably become no longer possible in years to come.

In my dismissal of this sad reality, I have attempted to ignore reports of dilapidating album sales and the rise of a growing single-based culture, but there is no denying the fact that soon albums will indeed meet a sorry end, and unfortunately there is little we can do to stop it.

The Guardian reported on Tuesday that "30 million fewer albums were sold in the UK last year than there were in 2009",  with music lovers instead streaming an estimated 7.4 billion songs in 2013 on services like Spotify.  Head of Music at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, George Ergatoudis comments that "in terms of creativity and musical statement, albums still have relevance and merit", but making a living out of music is far more difficult in an age where streaming has become the mass market.

The death of the album has been developing gradually "over about 10 years", according to music industry analyst Mark Mulligan, yet the birth of online services like Napster has instead allowed people to enjoy tracks "on their own terms".

Rather, we have entered into a playlist-dominated era with consumers "cherry-picking" their own musical selections and grouping them together under umbrellas of genre, mood or popularity.  People are granted the power of song choice and order of play depending on what they may be doing at that particular time.  Guardian journalist Harriet Walker argues that we are a part of the generation where you don't have to wade through the drudge to hear the good bits - "you are in charge, you decide exactly how much dross is in there," she says.

As an audience, we can break free from our role as spectators and creatively formulate, in one respect, our own piece of art inspired by the palette of the musicians we love the most.

With this in mind, if music is indeed a piece of 'art', it is also just as important that we are able to enjoy it in its intended, original condition. A painting does not offer onlookers the option of choosing a favourite 'chunk' to then disregard what is left over. Would it be normal for an audience to exclusively watch the best scenes of a film without seeing the rest?

Streaming services and playlists are and will continue to grow as dominant aspects of the music industry; to deny it would be a waste of your time. If you can embrace such a change, I applaud you.  But its contagious appeal won't stop me buying albums, not until they're officially six feet under. And even then, I'll be dancing to the best ones at the wake.

So, you've finished University. What now?

If you've just completed your degree – congratulations! Not everybody that started managed to finish, so count yourself as part of the special club that did.

There are few sensations in life that I can compare to typing the last word of my dissertation or completing my final exam. As peculiar as it sounds, they are challenges I would be more than willing to undertake again purely for the unique feeling that washes over you as you compose that final sentence.

I recall whinging at the prospect of waking up each morning and trudging to the library rain or shine to endure an eight-or-nine hour day staring into my laptop screen, and hoping in one way or another it would prove beneficial in my quest to seem smart. Two months on and I actually miss it – strange, don’t you think?

This entire academic year in actual fact undertook an odd countdown-like structure as a result of an underlying yet constant fear of finishing University and wondering what in the hell would come afterwards. Back at home that fear has worsened, amplified by friends' parents and parents' friends who ask the infamous question of "what are you going to do now?"

It is nearly always the same questions which are asked, with nearly always the same answers which are given as a reply - a conversation I almost have rehearsed. Its de ja vu nature is often enough to make you want to shoot yourself in the face, and the response of "I'm not sure just yet" is also guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows.

It's a scary old place to be, and right now I feel like I'm in the thick of it. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I know I'll find my feet one way or another.

I'll continue to live the façade with my student discount in Topshop, but University life is finished, and like a tragic break-up we've somehow got to get over it.

Tissue, anyone?

What the BBC can learn from the Brits

Today the BBC announced the launch of the BBC Music Awards which will take place at Earls Court in London. The show will hit our screens on BBC One on 11 December, plugged as a "prime time event" with Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton hosting at the helm. 

BBC Controller, Charlotte Moore has acclaimed the ceremony as a "unique celebration of music in the UK" and awards will be given in three categories, namely British Artist of the Year, International Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The latter will be decided by a public vote, while the two former prizes will be judged by a panel of broadcasters and producers from the Corporation.

Executives have insisted the BBC Music Awards will in no way rival or attempt to trump the Brits, which have been hosted annually at the beginning of each year since 1977. Guy Freeman, producer of the show, said "Just because it happens to be a music show on the television does not in any way mean it's the Brits. There are a million music shows on television that aren't the Brits."

In haste, the BBC has been totally dismissive of any comparisons made between their own new show and the ITV alternative. Indeed, with an audience loss of 6.2 million in the last decade and a half, it is hardly likely that the Beeb will be taking any tips from the commonly-controversial music show, which this year suffered heavy criticism for being, well, generally crap.

It is the painfully corporate approach of the Awards which has seen the show slated in recent years, with as many ad breaks as there are guests in the audience. Tolerance levels of James Corden’s arse-licking ran dry in 2012, and a growing investment in acts like One Direction and Justin Bieber and a lack of lesser-known British artists leaves many with a mere blemish of screen time. The Brits have lost their rock n roll edge – they have become tiresome, mediocre, predictable, and boring.

If the BBC are going to make this work, they're going to have to offer something unique and almost totally different. The event has already promised to focus on "music lovers of all ages who enjoy listening to music from across the BBC", rather than the "younger end of the market", and brands like BBC Introducing have already shown that the Corporation can and do appreciate the less commercial aspects of the music industry. 

For the sake of my music adoration, I would love to see this show succeed. But if "different" goes as far as the contrast between The Voice and The X Factor, I fear it won't be long before the same trap snaps shut.

Seven ways to save money as a graduate

University is finally coming to a climactic end for students up and down the country, but a fundamental reliance upon student loans during the past three or four years may also leave many recent graduates feeling lost and financially helpless.

It’s fathomable to feel the doom and gloom of those post-Uni blues, especially where money is concerned, so what actions can you take to get back on your feet?

        1. Get a Graduate Bank Account

Take advantage of those graduate-exclusive deals by switching from your student account to a graduate one. Certain banks can even offer overdrafts with 0% interest for up for three years.

Comparison sites like Which? and Money Saving Expert will also help you find the best deal to suit you and your spending habits – don’t opt for the largest overdraft option if you don’t really need to.

It’s important to never think of it as “free money”, and instead you should use it as a chance to clear any debt if you have already overdrawn your student account.

        2. Student loan stress

Don’t let the burden of repaying your student loan keep you awake at night. You will not be expected to make any repayments until you are earning over £15,000 a year, at which point it will be simply deducted from your payslip with 0% interest.

        3. Settle your bills

Ensure you have paid all your bills in your student accommodation before you have moved out, and inform utility companies that you are leaving. By not doing so, you risk being charged for gas, electricity or water used by the property’s succeeding tenants. It’s also recommended that you provide a forwarding address to your previous landlord in case you receive any important bills or letters after you have left.

        4. Property deposit

Get your deposit back from your landlord when you have moved out of your student accommodation – it’s best to do this as soon as possible.

        5. Fly back to the nest

The prospect of living with parents again may horrify you but it is far more cost effective and will allow you to save up for a deposit for your own place in the future.

        6. Budget carefully

Set up a spending plan to establish what you really need, and stick to it. Using cash rather than card when purchasing items will also make you more aware of what you are spending.

        7. Graduate discounts

You can still enjoy the student life a little with discounts and deals from a range of websites and apps – take a look at Graduate Extra on the NUS website for offers on everything from driving lessons to fashion.

Vouchercloud are ideal for fashion, electronics and mobile deals, while Groupon have great discounts on hotels, restaurants and days out in London.

You can even gain cash back on items by buying through Quidco from a variety of retailers, including Tesco, Amazon, M&S and Boots.

City Sound Project - Review

Exams loomed at the start of May but revision came to a brief pause for the return of the city’s biggest music festival City.Sound.Project, which saw the likes of George Ezra, Gorgon City and Blood Red Shoes storm stages all across Canterbury.

Coco and The Butterfields 

The weekend was kicked off by “colourful, energetic and crowd-stamping” Coco and the Butterfields at The Jolly Sailor, who describe themselves as “pioneers of a newly found musical genre, ‘Fip Fok’”. The Canterbury act, unique in their blending of folk and hip hop, were truly fantastic in creating a lively and colourful vibe, playing covers of Flo Rida’s ‘Low’ and House of Pain’s ‘Jump’  with their own impressive material, their track ‘Five Bells’ being a particular highlight. Check them out on SoundCloud here:  www.soundcloud.com/cocoandthebutterfields

bbc.co.uk

Alphabetic 

The crowd for four-piece act Alphabetic in Bramley’s was much smaller but the band certainly held their own, blending synth riffs with the gorgeous resonance of female vocalist Rebecca and lead guitarist Walter. They could be compared to Two Door Cinema Club in their happy, upbeat indie vibe with an added similarity to Foals in the gradual build-up of each track. www.alphabeticband.com.

Mas Agua

Canterbury and London-based Mas Agua, also featured on the line up of this year’s Christ Church Summer Ball, is a contemporary music project offering a unique mix of looping vocal harmonies and synth sounds. The project, founded by singer-songwriter David Ellis, were impressive in giving a truly captivating performance in cocktail bar Bramley’s on the second day of the festival, an almost ideal choice of act to match the mood of the very hungover 50 or so music fans in the audience. www.soundcloud.com/masagua.

Light Tone Studios

George Ezra

George Ezra, the up-and-coming King of Cool accompanied by a trusty guitar and a vocal range to make you melt, was a top choice of headline act as he took to the stage of the Christ Church Student’s Union on the Sunday. Performing his already well-known hits ‘Budapest’, ‘Did You Hear the Rain’ and ‘Cassy O’’, the crowd fell in love with Ezra’s charming stage presence, that winning smile and sexy, deep vocals (I won't deny the crush while it remains overtly obvious). His debut studio album Wanted on Voyage will be out June 30^th and I speculate it will be a big hit. www.georgeezra.com

culturefly.co.uk