What about gap years

I have done my senior secondary education in 2023. And I am applying for fall 2024 intake in U.S.A. So, I want to ask when my F1 visa interviewer ask about the gap of near about 1.5 year how should I answer this question??

Your situation is more common than one would think. We encourage you to speak to things that you did such as taking courses or getting work experience or even preparing for standardized tests. Be sure to speak to things you did that tie into your long-term goals.