Thanks for posting here! Getting plants from other hobbyists is almost always the best method. It is cool that you have someone close that can get you some trimmings.
When starting a planted tank, the first place to always look is lighting.
You mentioned you have florescent lighting. What kind of lighting is it, and what size tank? Is it T5HO, or T8? What wattage? What color temperature? If you are unsure, just post the brand of fixture, the length of the fixture, and any text you might see on the bulbs in the fixture.
So many folks switch to live plants without taking care of some minor things upfront, like suitable lighting. If you get that step right, the rest will come along fine. But without proper lighting, plants will eventually brown out and die off, which frustrates newer folks when it comes to live plants and turns them off of what is in my opinion the coolest part of a freshwater tank.