As Sam Bloomfield (Fr 24) prepares to leave Wesley at the end of the year to continue his studies in Melbourne, he and his younger brother, Huw (Fr 26), are making the most of their final weeks living together at College. In 2027, Huw will remain at Wesley as the sole Bloomfield in residence, while Sam embarks on the next chapter of his studies. Though they currently call Wesley home, the brothers grew up in Newcastle, around two and a half hours north of Sydney, where they attended Merewether High School and threw themselves into school life and sport. Sam’s move to Wesley, followed by Huw’s arrival two years later, marked a significant shift for their family, leaving their parents to navigate life as empty nesters while taking pride in the path their sons were forging.
While their father, Matt, a chemical engineer, had studied at UNSW and their mother, Liss, a Sydney-born veterinarian, had attended USYD, Sam and Huw were the first in their family to experience life in a residential college at the University of Sydney. When Sam set his sights on USYD, he began exploring accommodation options and became interested in Wesley after hearing a family friend enthusiastically describe the College’s warm, close-knit community. Intrigued by the prospect of a place where he could feel at home while making the most of university life, Sam soon realised Wesley offered exactly the kind of college experience he was looking for. Not long after arriving, he reflected that his expectations had been “fulfilled in every way”. His regular updates to Huw, filled with enthusiastic accounts of daily College life, soon inspired his younger brother to follow in his footsteps. Both have embraced the experience ever since.
Whilst both brothers were talented athletes, having represented Australia playing water polo, sport wasn’t their main criteria when seeking a place to live on-campus. It was the social networks that appealed more. As Sam noted, ‘Something I was hoping for in coming to Wes was exposure to people of different backgrounds and life stages’. Whether from other year groups, or graduates returning to the college to share their stories over Formal Dinners, Sam reiterated that he’s been ‘Inspired to see so many interesting people not long out of college doing so well’, adding that ‘Wes opens your social life to all these diverse, beautiful people you wouldn’t otherwise meet’.
Huw is in his first year of Chemical Engineering, following in the footsteps of his father, while Sam is nearing completion of his science degree. Initially enrolling in Veterinary Science to follow his mother’s lead, Sam later shifted his focus, majoring in Animal Production and Animal Health. Now, as he prepares to graduate from USYD, he has set his sights on a new direction: human medicine, continuing his studies at the University of Melbourne next year. Sam admits he was a little nervous about telling his mother he was moving away from animal health, but she embraced the change with enthusiasm, delighted to see him exploring new possibilities and forging his own path.
The Bloomfield family lives by a simple mantra: “If you want a village, you have to be a villager.” For Sam and Huw, this has meant embracing every opportunity that comes their way and making the most of Wesley’s rich program of social and co-curricular activities. The brothers have represented the College in swimming, basketball and touch rugby, while also cheering on friends in their own pursuits. Although not a musician himself, Huw has particularly enjoyed Wesley’s cultural activities, marvelling at the talent on display during Palladian Cup events. Watching the Wesley choir perform for the first time left him, by his own admission, “awestruck”, opening his eyes to the extraordinary depth and breadth of talent within the College community. As Sam reflects, “At Wesley, you get to watch people you know doing amazing things.” It’s a privilege the brothers have embraced wholeheartedly, never taking for granted the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those around them.
Both Huw and Sam have supported themselves financially through university, with Huw working as a water polo coach and Sam gaining experience in veterinary nursing. In his past two years at Wesley, Sam has taken on the additional responsibility of serving as a Community Leader. Between their studies, work and co-curricular commitments, the brothers certainly have full schedules, but it’s clear they wouldn’t have it any other way. As Sam puts it, “Life here is beautiful busy.”
Given the high expectations Sam had set through his enthusiastic accounts of College life, Huw was asked whether the reality had lived up to the promise. His answer was unequivocal: “I did have really high expectations, but they’ve actually been exceeded. This has been the best year of my life.” Having his older brother nearby has been a particularly special part of the experience. “Having Sam here has been the biggest comfort ever. Because Sam’s here, a part of home is here,” Huw reflects. At the same time, living together at Wesley has given the brothers the chance to build a closer relationship on their own terms, away from the family home. For Sam, the experience has been equally rewarding. “I feel like I’m living with one of my best mates,” he says, relishing not only their growing closeness but also the friendships they have developed with each other’s friends and the many formative experiences they have shared as young adults. Their time at Wesley has brought them beyond the bond of brotherhood towards something equally enduring: a genuine, lifelong friendship.
As Huw prepares to become the sole Bloomfield in residence at Wesley, he acknowledges that life at College without Sam “will be a shock”. Yet both brothers are excited for what lies ahead: Sam’s next chapter in Melbourne, and Huw’s return to Wesley for another year.
Amid the busyness of university life, the brothers recognise what a gift their time at Wesley has been. It has provided a supportive community when everything was unfamiliar, a constant source of inspiration, and a network of friendships spanning the country. Above all, Wesley has given them the opportunity to share a formative chapter of their lives, growing not only as individuals but also closer as brothers and friends. It is a bond shaped by community, friendship and belonging - one that will endure long after their time at College has come to an end.
