This is a post about work.
It has been decent so far. I get to do high-level R&D stuff(reading papers, docs and implementing them) for the next-gen consoles... which is what I wanted to do all along, at least for the summer. I also get a nice, big cubicle space overlooking the ocean. All soda, juice, coffee, tea and cookies are free... which is a nice touch. The company's pretty exciting and expanding rapidly. People I work with are cool and really enthusiastic about what they are doing. The atmosphere also seems rather easy-going and relaxed at times, with some people hanging their personal artwork and toys on their cubicle walls. Had the first studio meeting today and it was quite an eye-opener to see how the company is structured and run.
In general, the message was that the games industry is going through yet another phase shift with the arrival of the next-gen consoles. I think the industry is shifting to a higher gear in terms of budget, expenses and hiring processes. There is so much work and resources involved in making a game nowadays, especially a next-gen AAA title. I think budgets in most cases have hit the levels of many movies.
If there's ever one piece of advice for anyone wanting to do high-level technical work in the industry, I would say the following:

1. Know your math. I am not kidding. I hope you took a sufficient number of math classes in college coz you will be disadvantaged if you didn't do just that.

2. Learn to read and implement research papers. There's very little time for "training" in the industry since everything is on the cutting-edge. Few people have the patience to teach you the basics which you should have picked up on your own. If you understand point 1. though, when you get about doing 2. , you will actually realize all the concepts from 2. are actually from 1. So conceptually, there aren't really that many new things to learn. It's all of a matter of applying 1. to 2.