All of your options can be condensed to two words: Learn. Do. Which is exactly what you need to do, so go do it. I would just add one step: Show. Learn how to

All of your options can be condensed to two words: Learn. Do. Which is exactly what you need to do, so go do it. I would just add one step: Show. Learn how to do awesome things, do them, then show them to interested people. You say you're passionate about design, so start there. Do a complete redesign of a site you use but don't like the design of. Post it on HN. People will notice and talk.