Good times, foliage, and relaxation are major drawing cards this weekend as students head up north, to a weekend of sports at Cornell, or just back home for the Columbus Day weekend, several vacationers said yesterday prior to their departures.

For some, their destinations were only incidental to anticipated good times on the road. Band members, who follow the football team to Cornell, said they were more enthusiastic about the ride to and from New York than about the actual game.

A Good Party

Dana B. Birkby '81, said the ride to Cornell "sounds like a real good party," and William G. Glazier '81 said he was "extremely happy because 17 of my friends and my family live in central New York state."

More traditional road trips will take Harvard men to New England women's colleges. Both freshmen and upperclassmen take part in this seasonless custom.

Charles L. Raffi III '81 said yesterday he was excited to be departing for Smith College to "live with 45 girls for two days." His friends. David T. Wong '81 and Jonathan Barzilay '81, said they were content to be "going back to civilization in New York City."

Other students said yesterday they are less ambitious in their weekend plans, aiming to see the changing leaves up north, or visit favorite places.

Peter P. Smith '78 and Joseph V. Papandrea '78 left for New Hampshire Friday afternoon to take pictures, see the sights, pick apples, and strum on the guitar and mandolin. Smith said yesterday the two Leverett House residents planned generally to "have a good time."

While for some students just getting away was fine, for other students the destination was the big thing. Many said yesterday they planned to return to their summer haunts in a struggle to squeeze the last drops out of summer, despite autumn temperatures.

Paul G. Yearwood '80 is going on a cruise party around Cape Ann, where he spent his summer. Robert A. Smith '81 is going back to Cape Cod after summering there. "Just cross the Bourne Bridge," he said Friday. "It's a nice escape."

Home and familiar surroundings are a comforting thought to some students. Alfredo Assad '79 is going to the Fieldston Homecoming Centennial in New York, where he will see his teachers and "release."

But while some students will go away, not all will be able to leave work behind. Twenty-five students in Biology 101, "Man, Trees and Forests," are on a field trip at the Harvard Forest.

Aaron Castill '80, a member of the class, said yesterday the group plans "to study soil types on what used to be a farm area." Castill added that he will probably end up "eating trees" by the end of the trip.

A glance at the Square yesterday evening indicated that a lot of people were taking off for the long weekend.

Eldon Brean, collector at the MBTA Harvard Square station, said yesterday there are a "lot of suitcases. It's been wicked this afternoon." But he added, "It's always like this on a three-day weekend.