By planes, trains and automobiles they've been escaping campus the last few days, and today they'll pick up the pace.

That's right, the annual Thanksgiving exodus is already underway, and some students are apparently willing to go to great lengths to get out of town.

Zimran D. Ahmed '98 and William O. Evans '98, for example, said yesterday they plan to steal a car to drive to Evans' home in Cleveland.

"We didn't have money to rent a car because we spent it all on beer," Ahmed said. "Also, Bill doesn't have a driver's license, and I had mine confiscated."

The first-years said they did not call for plane reservations on time, so Evans' mother expects the two to take a bus. But the students said they have other ideas.

"We want an Oldsmobile or Lincoln, either that or a van. It's either style or space," Evans said. "We really tried to rent. We went to this place Eddie's Big cars, but even big Eddie wouldn't rent to us."

Not all students are resorting to illegal means to leave campus, but most said they have been looking forward to the break.

Dan R. Wenzke '98 said he bought his plane tickets for Thanksgiving as soon as he decided he was going to Harvard. He will fly home to Dayton, Ohio, this afternoon.

Flying was the most popular form of transportation for those students interviewed yesterday.

"[I'm flying] because walking, though cheaper, takes a lot longer," said Rajeev S. Gajwani '97, who returned home to Miami yesterday.

While some students said they plan to take the T or a taxi to the airport, most said will make the trip in the free shuttle sponsored by the Undergraduate Council.

Thirty-two students reserved seats on the bus during its five trips to Logan Airport yesterday. The shuttle will be busier today, with some 180 riders expected on its nine trips, shuttle drivers said.

"Tomorrow will be hellacious," said shuttle driver Allen A. Russell. "It's a holiday weekend getaway day...there could be as many as 40 people per run."

While air travel may be the most popular method of transit, many Harvard students have chosen other methods of getting home.

Chris R. McCarty '98 said he will take the T to his roommate's home in Reading today.

While McCarty's home is in Dallas, he'll settle for a temporary family this weekend.

"I'd like to fly home, but I'm glad to get a break from school," he said. "I'm glad I get to do something for Thanksgiving instead of staying up here by myself."

And Erica S. Chen '96 took a Peter Pan bus yesterday to vacation in upstate New York.

"I will be able to get away from the Harvard lifestyle for a while," Chen said. "Harvard makes you not sleep. I'm not going to set an alarm clock [this weekend].