Looker query api quota limits, Looker Studio Connector and System Activity History Explore

[skp_looker]

Currently working in Looker GCP Core standard environment with quota limit of 1,000 query-based API calls per month.  Spent couple hours last week developing a Looker Studio dashboard via the Looker connection.

Barely halfway through first page of multi-page dashboard, and from my interpretation of the System Activity/History Explore, looks like I've already consumed over 200 api-calls from 2hrs dev work. 

Am I interpreting this right?  If so, guess this isn't a solution architecture for standard license holders?