I'm a financially dependent college student with parents that don't allow me to order things off the internet
My local petstore is pretty cruddy, so it's between that and Walmart for me!
My light I'm using is a desk lamp, maybe I can try to find a different bulb?
Here's your solution: Find some sort of small desk lamp that is designed to take standard-sized (not "mini" or specialty) regular ol' screw-in incandescent light bulbs. Only instead of using a regular light bulb, put in a screw-in spiral compact flourescent bulb, but be sure it is one that has a "color temperature" (K value) between 5000 and 10,000K as that is what you need in order for plants to be able to use the light. Depending upon what company bulbs you are using the terminology can change, but usually these are called "daylight" bulbs. Any hardware store should carry them, the trick is sometimes you really have to search the packaging to find the "K value." (Some brands display it prominently, but others seem to bury it in the small print.) You can also usually find it printed on the base of the bulb itself.
If you can't order online, this is probably going to be your best bet.
