I like my briar churchwarden. It curls low enough to keep the smoke out of my eyes, and the stem is good for pointing at things.
I burn mostly aromatic blends, which I buy at the tobacco shop. They put the tobacco in clear plastic bags, which I never label, so each trip to the tobacconist's is like a new experience.
I usually smoke and talk on the phone at night on my front porch, once every couple of months.

Berserkbishop,
Since you're in college, ask an art major friend to make you a bowl out of clay. Glaze and high-fire it, then fit a stem into it. They're available online, and I've used hollowed-out sticks for stems. It might not look very glamorous, but who cares about that?
Let us know what you come up with.