The semester finally ended and it's finally time for a much needed break. Right before Finals all the work really piles up and it can be a daunting prospect. In fact, it's usually pretty easy to spot the noticeable change in the atmosphere. Speaking as a game degree student too many students come into the school not really realizing how much work it really is in the game industry. It gets really busy at the school and I know that it's nothing compared to how much work will actually need done out in the real world. Many end up cracking under the pressure and just kind of give up. So if you really want to take this rout, it's best you understand that this job isn't about just playing games all day or coming up with ideas. In the end though, the work feels really rewarding. Particularly when you finish a project and you can finally play through something that you helped create. Plus, it just happens to actually be a lot of fun. When you realize that, you almost feel bad for the people that really couldn't make it past the shattering of the delusion that the game industry isn't just about playing games all the time.
Just as kind of a bonus here is a story from a QA tester in the game industry. It's one of my favorites:
http://trenchescomic.com/tales/post/let-slip-the-dogs-of-war